Australia’s communications regulator has imposed AU$1.07 million in penalties on Dabble Sports Pty Ltd after finding that the wagering operator breached BetStop self-exclusion rules. The company also accepted a court-enforceable undertaking lasting two years, requiring an independent review of its compliance systems and investment in recommended improvements.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority found that Dabble had failed to close 157 wagering accounts after their holders joined BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register. The rules require licensed online and phone wagering providers to close existing accounts for registrants and stop sending them specified electronic communications.
Dabble sent 839 electronic messages, including SMS, emails and app push notifications, to 165 self-excluded people. It also sent more than 2,000 push notifications to 45 customers without the mandatory information about BetStop.
The AU$1,069,200 total comprised 54 penalties issued in two notices. Nine penalties, worth AU$178,200, concerned account-closure failures, while 45 penalties totalling AU$891,000 related to electronic messages sent to self-excluded customers.
ACMA found that Dabble had systems for checking customers against BetStop, but that the controls were not applied effectively. Its process largely relied on customer activity to trigger a fresh register check. Of 229 accounts with no outstanding or pending bets, 156 were identified as belonging to BetStop registrants more than seven days after registration, and several customers were not detected for more than 200 days.
The regulator had warned Dabble in August 2024 about the risks of leaving inactive accounts unchecked, and said weekly checks were reasonably practicable. It also found that manual intervention could override Dabble’s automated marketing-suppression system, creating a risk of human error.
The investigation began on July 2, 2025, after consumer complaints that Dabble had sent marketing to BetStop registrants. During the inquiry, the operator self-reported a campaign-configuration error which it described as a one-off human error, but ACMA’s findings extended to the account closures and missing BetStop information.
Carolyn Lidgerwood, an ACMA member, called the breaches serious and said wagering providers needed robust systems to protect people who had chosen to self-exclude. Under Dabble’s undertaking, an independent consultant will review its systems, processes and practices, make recommendations to Dabble’s board and ACMA, and the company must adopt a board-approved implementation plan backed by adequate qualified compliance resources.
If Dabble breaches the undertaking, ACMA can seek a court order enforcing its terms. Reforms taking effect on Jan. 1, 2027 will strengthen the BetStop framework and substantially increase penalties for non-compliance.
