How gambling site blocking works in AU

1) Legal basis for interlocks

Blocking gambling sites in Australia is regulated by the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA), which prohibits the provision of online gambling services without an appropriate license.
The key performer is the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), authorised to:
  • identify sites that violate the law;
  • enter them into the official register of prohibited resources;
  • require Internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to them.

2) How illegal sites are identified

ACMA uses comprehensive monitoring, including:
  • analysis of gambling ads targeting Australian users;
  • checking domains that accept bets or registrations from AU players;
  • complaints and appeals of users;
  • interaction with international regulators.

After identifying the resource, ACMA checks the license, playing conditions and payment methods.

3) Blocking process

1. Establishing a violation - fixing the fact of providing illegal services.
2. Official operator notification - in some cases, time is granted for voluntary termination of activities.
3. Sending a request to communication providers is a mandatory instruction.
4. Public Block Listing - Site access restricted from Australian IP.

4) Technical methods of blocking

DNS blocking - a request to a prohibited domain does not return an IP address or redirects to a warning page.
IP blocking - Restrict connections to specific servers.
URL filtering - point blocking of individual pages or subdomains.

5) Is it possible to bypass the lock

You can bypass the blocking through VPN, proxy or mirrors, but this is fraught with risks:
  • high probability of getting to a phishing site;
  • lack of guarantees of deposit safety;
  • inability to defend their rights through ACMA.

6) System efficiency

More than 4,000 sites and their mirrors have been blocked since the mechanism was introduced in 2017, according to ACMA. Many major international operators are withdrawing from the Australian market after being listed, reducing access to illegal platforms.

7) Conclusion

Blocking gambling sites in Australia is ACMA's systemic work to protect gamblers from illegal operators. The mechanism includes a legal and technical component, and for users the best way to avoid problems is to play only on licensed platforms available without circumvention of restrictions.