Sportsbet Hit With $209K Fine For Failures to Warn Users About Gambling Activity

Australia’s biggest online bookmaker, Sportsbet, has been hit with an AUD 313,140 (about $209,000) fine by the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission for failing to provide required gambling activity statements to more than 6,000 customers over 18 months.

NT Gambling Watchdog Slaps Sportsbet with Fine

The regulator determined that Sportsbet violated its license conditions by failing to send monthly activity statements to 6,131 customers between 2022 and 2024. Overall, 51,525 required statements were not delivered. These statements are mandated by law and are designed to provide customers with a clear picture of their betting activity, enabling them to monitor and reduce the risk of gambling-related harm.

In its decision notice, the commission stated that the breaches represented a clear and repeated failure to meet a fundamental consumer protection obligation. It further noted that the continued nature of the violations pointed to systemic shortcomings in the licensee’s governance and assurance processes. The regulator concluded that this conduct created an increased risk of harm to consumers.

In a statement, Commission Chair Alastair Shields said the finding of multiple breaches led to a significant cumulative fine, highlighting both the seriousness of the non-compliance and the Commission’s response. He added that the regulator would continue to take strong enforcement action to ensure compliance and foster a safer wagering environment. Shields also confirmed that the commission had not been informed of any legal challenge to the ruling.

Sportsbet told the commission that “several technical issues” had caused the failures. The company expressed regret over the incident and offered a sincere apology to the affected customers. 

These aren’t the only troubles that Sportsbet has been involved in in recent months, however. For example, earlier this month, a currently jailed financier filed a lawsuit against Sportsbet in an attempt to recover the money he stole from his clients and then lost to the company. 

Some Think the Fine Isn’t Enough

The size of the fine attracted criticism from academics. Charles Livingstone, head of Monash University’s Gambling and Social Determinants Unit, described the penalty as “fairly serious” in principle but financially negligible for the operator. He noted that while AUD 313,000 is significant for the NT regulator, it is “virtually nothing” for Sportsbet, which generates billions in annual revenue, calling the amount “very modest.”

Livingstone also pointed out that, although the fine suggested the regulator was trying to show strength, he remained skeptical. He argued that for the commission to demonstrate real effectiveness, it would need proper resources, conduct active investigations, and be willing to suspend or cancel licences. Without these measures, he said, the regulator remained open to criticism as ineffective and risked being seen as a jurisdiction of convenience.