Offshore gambling operators are using the visibility of the Australian Open to draw Australian consumers toward illegal betting platforms, prompting renewed scrutiny from regulators and industry groups as the tournament continues. Regulators, consumer advocates, and licensed wagering companies say the activity highlights ongoing enforcement challenges tied to offshore gambling and digital advertising.

Australian law prohibits offshore gambling providers from offering services to local consumers. Despite this, multiple unlicensed operators have used Australian Open imagery, giveaways, and influencer promotions to reach Australian audiences online, particularly through social media.

Tournament Branding Used to Attract Australian Users

One of the most prominent examples involves the offshore e-casino Vegastars, which promoted a giveaway on Instagram offering front-row tickets to a night session at Rod Laver Arena and a $500 flight voucher. The promotional post featured the Australian Open logo, despite having no official connection to the tournament. Australians were among roughly 2,500 accounts that interacted with the post.

Guardian identified at least three additional unlicensed gambling sites using the championship’s logo or images of professional tennis players in their promotions. A further group of offshore operators advertised Australian Open-themed offers through websites and social platforms during the tournament period.

Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA), which represents licensed bookmakers including Sportsbet, Bet365, Betfair, PointsBet, and Unibet, warned that these promotions risk misleading consumers into believing offshore platforms are legal. RWA chief executive Kai Cantwell said, “The fact this is happening openly during Australia’s biggest sporting events shows how far enforcement is lagging behind the reality of offshore gambling.”

Offshore platforms such as Vegastars and Rainbet offer gambling features that are banned in Australia, including deposit bonuses, live in-play betting, online poker machines, and credit card wagering. These companies also avoid Australian taxes and racing fees, giving them a commercial edge over regulated operators.

Influencer Promotions and Legal Grey Areas

Influencer marketing has become another focal point for regulators. Offshore bookmaker Rainbet featured in an Instagram video posted by Australian influencer Jon Redman, promoting a live bet placed on a first-round Australian Open qualifying match between Bernard Tomic and Hugo Dellien. The video attracted more than 40,000 views before it was removed.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) confirmed it was investigating Redman’s conduct and had contacted Meta, Instagram’s parent company, regarding the content. The video was taken down two days after media inquiries. Redman did not respond to requests for comment.

ACMA has warned influencers that promoting illegal gambling services can carry significant penalties. Live-streaming or showing gambling activity on illegal platforms may attract fines of up to $59,400, while facilitating access through links can result in penalties of up to $2.5 million.

A regulatory challenge remains in determining whether content breaches Australian law, as ACMA must assess whether advertisements appear on platforms primarily accessed by users in Australia. Many offshore operators argue their audiences are international, allowing them to exploit gaps in existing legislation.

“We use a range of measures to reduce the harm caused by illegal gambling sites,” an ACMA spokesman said. “Website blocking is an effective disruptive approach … The ACMA also engages directly with influencers to inform them of the risks of promoting illegal gambling sites that are potentially in breach of Australia’s laws.”

Blocking Efforts and Calls for Stronger Measures

ACMA has relied heavily on website blocking to disrupt offshore gambling activity. Since November 2019, the regulator has requested blocks on more than 1,300 illegal gambling and affiliate sites, cutting off access to at least 220 illegal services. In the Vegastars case, ACMA said it had determined the site was illegal and would request it be blocked while investigating other identified operators.

However, consumer advocates argue blocking alone is insufficient. Lauren Levin said offshore operators can quickly change domain names, undermining enforcement efforts. “It works better than the current whack-a-mole approach where Acma blocks an overseas URL and five minutes later the business has just changed the URL to a slightly different one,” Levin said.

Levin has called for payment blocking measures that prevent transactions to and from unlicensed gambling providers, citing systems used in countries such as Germany and Norway. She said such an approach would allow regulators to focus more effectively on domestic gambling industries, which account for most gambling losses.

According to a Queensland Treasury estimate, Australians wagered $254 billion in 2023–24, resulting in net losses of $32 billion across regulated gambling sectors. RWA-commissioned research estimated Australians gambled nearly $3.9 billion with offshore operators in 2024, compared with $7 billion spent online with licensed domestic providers during the same period.

While tennis has drawn recent attention, regulators note that offshore gambling promotions also appear during major cricket tournaments and AFL and NRL seasons, underscoring the broader challenge of policing illegal gambling tied to high-profile sporting events.