ACMA slams BetDeluxe unsubbed texts as ‘unacceptable’ in $50k charge

BetDeluxe has paid an infringement notice of $50,172 as the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) clamps down on its spam-unsubscribing rules.

An investigation by the body found that the operator had sent more than 104,000 SMS without an unsubscribe function and over 820,000 SMS that did not contain the sender’s contact details.

Concerning Noah Rose, Director of BetDeluxe, the SMS was reportedly sent between December 2021 and February 2022 and advertised a ‘cheeky punt’ and ‘VIP service’ on sports and racing, and promoted bonus bets and money-back offers.  

Nerida O’Loughlin, ACMA Chair, expressed how ‘unacceptable’ it is to send commercial messages with ‘no way for consumers to opt out’.

She stated: “We received complaints from a significant number of people, with many expressing their frustration about receiving promotions for gambling.

“Any spam can be annoying, but when gambling is involved the risk of financial and emotional harm can be pronounced, so it’s important that wagering operators take compliance very seriously.”

Additionally, the group has also accepted a two-year court-enforceable undertaking from BetDeluxe committing the business to an independent review of its e-marketing practices, and to make improvements where required. 

The betting company must also give ‘regular compliance reports’ to the ACMA and provide spam training to its staff.

“We will be closely monitoring BetDeluxe’s compliance and the legally binding commitments it has made to the ACMA,” O’Loughlin added.

Similarly, in February last year, Flutter Entertainment-owned Sportsbet paid a huge $3.7m in penalties and customer refunds following an ACMA investigation.