TLDR Australian bookmaker Palmerbet accepted 312 bets from a customer registered on the BetStop self-exclusion register. The customer joined BetStop in September 2023, but his account was not closed until February 2025. Palmerbet has signed an 18-month court-enforceable undertaking with the ACMA and repaid the customer’s deposits. The bookmaker must commission an independent review of its compliance systems and act on the findings. Tougher penalties for BetStop breaches will take effect on January 1, 2027.
Australian bookmaker Palmerbet has signed an 18-month court-enforceable undertaking with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The agreement follows the company taking 312 bets from a customer who had signed up for the national self-exclusion register.
The register, called BetStop, lets people block themselves from online wagering services. Licensed operators must follow its rules.
According to the ACMA, the customer registered with BetStop in September 2023. Palmerbet did not close his account until February 2025, nearly 17 months later.
How the Breach Happened
The regulator said the 312 bets were accepted between December 2024 and February 2025. That covers a period of about three months.
Under BetStop rules, wagering operators must close the accounts of registered customers as soon as practicable. They must also stop offering those customers online wagering services.
BetStop is designed to stop people who have chosen to exclude themselves from placing more bets with participating operators.
Palmerbet is operated by Palmer Bookmaking Pty Ltd. The company has repaid all deposits the customer made between joining BetStop and the closure of his account, the ACMA said.
What the Undertaking Requires
Under the agreement, Palmerbet must commission an independent review of its compliance systems and processes. It must then invest in the improvements the review recommends.
The review will examine the bookmaker’s procedures. It will suggest changes aimed at