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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has made a request for more illicit online gambling sites to be blocked, after investigations showed they were violating the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. 
The regulator has asked Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to prohibit the following websites: 

Slot Lounge
Betzillo
FastSpin99
Spinit
PokiesPro

ACMA states that since its first blocking request was made in November 2019, 1,322 illegal betting sites and their affiliates have been shut down. It is an ongoing issue, as once certain sites are blocked, others appear, but this enforcement tool is an effective one. 
Last month, the authority made a similar request for a number of sites to be blocked, including the prominent prediction platform, Polymarket.
ACMA also detailed that since new illegal online gambling rules were adopted eight years ago, around 200 platforms have been pulled from the Australian market.

Gambling online? Make sure the site is licensed in Australia. Using illegal gambling sites puts you at risk because you won’t have important consumer protections.
See the latest list of sites we’ve asked Australian internet providers to block: https://t.co/dnWCfyyIxL pic.twitter.com/LoXCfuVRws
— ACMA (@acmadotgov) September 17, 2025

ACMA issues warnings against use of illicit platforms
The government agency went on to remind consumers to maintain their vigilance against rogue online platforms, to ensure they are using reputable sources, and if not, they will not have any customer protections to fall back on. 
Australians have been made aware that they could lose their money using these domains, with other dangers including: illicit operators taking money deposits then preventing users from accessing winnings, operators suddenly closing down platforms and taking all funds with them, and the possibility of illicit operators attempting to take funds from users’ bank accounts without permission.
ACMA provided a link to its register for users to check if a website is licensed to operate in Australia. 
Image credit: Australian Communications and Media Authority
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An FDNY Bureau of Fire Prevention (BFP) investigation into a complaint about illegal lithium-ion battery charging has led to the discovery of an alleged gambling den.
The fire department was on Elizabeth Street in Manhattan when they found ‘dangerous and unlawful conditions’, including “gambling machines, counterfeit goods, unsafe living conditions, and hazardous battery charging.”
It was upon gaining access to the buildings that FDNY Fire Protection Inspectors discovered the front and rear cellars of both buildings had been converted into illegal sleeping areas.
The cellar hallways are said to have also been changed into single room occupancies that were “crowded with mattresses, clutter, hot places, and space heaters.” None of the rooms had secondary exits either, with the department calling the nature of the cellar as ‘mazelike’.
The sleeping areas that were found were considered severe life risks due to the lack of secondary egress and heavy clutter.
Alleged gambling parlor with slot machines found by NY fire department
“What our Fire Prevention members found on Tuesday was a disaster waiting to happen,” said FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker in a news release.
“Illegal living conditions and unsafe battery charging can create deadly conditions for residents and for firefighters responding to emergencies. Every complaint we investigate has the potential to save lives, and this inspection was one of them.”

It was then, through further investigation into the property, that an alleged gambling parlor with slot machines and a storage space filled with counterfeit designer bags and accessories was found. Lithium-ion batteries were also said to have been found charging throughout the illegally converted cellar space.
“Due to the life-threatening conditions uncovered, the FDNY requested the Department of Buildings (DOB) and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to respond,” the press release states.
“The DOB issued a partial vacate order for the cellar spaces of both buildings and NYPD Vice confiscated the gambling equipment and counterfeit items. BFP issued two FDNY summons and two Criminal Summons to 118 and 120 Elizabeth Street.”
Featured Image: Via Fire Department of New York news release 
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The online gambling business Maple International Ventures Limited has to pay £360,000 (roughly $490,747) following a Gambling Commission investigation.
The UK-based regulator, which licenses and regulates most types of gambling, says an investigation they completed revealed “social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures.”
The operator runs a casino and betting website called Lottomart.com and the money will be paid as part of a settlement with the Commission. The full amount will go to ‘socially responsible causes,’ the regulator says.
It was in the review that failings were found related to the company’s Anti-Money Laundering / Counter Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) and Social Responsibility (SR) controls. One of the issues is related to a risk assessment, which was found to be not appropriate during June 2023 and July 2024, along with other concerns that were also found.
“Some key risks were omitted from the Licensee’s risk assessment (for example, organised crime gangs and mule accounts) and it was lacking in sufficient detail. In addition, there was no evidence that it had been updated to take into account current or historical versions on the Commission’s Risk Assessment, AML Guidance or Emerging Risks publications,” the public statement reads.
Gambling Commission speaks out about Maple International Ventures
John Pierce, Commission Director of Enforcement, said: “The cornerstone of every licensed business must be the proper implementation of effective policies and procedures aimed at making gambling crime free and safer.
“This operator is now being held to account for anti-money laundering and social responsibility failings uncovered during a compliance assessment.”
Along with the financial penalty, the regulatory settlement also includes an agreement to the publication of a statement of facts in relation to this case, along with payment towards the Commission’s costs of investigating the case.
“We would advise all operators to read the Maple International Ventures public statement and consider whether their own policies and procedures are both effective and are being successfully implemented,” Pierce continued.
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
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