{"id":625879,"date":"2026-09-16T00:46:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T00:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/625879\/"},"modified":"2026-09-16T00:46:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T00:46:18","slug":"betting-app-dabble-fined-1-million-by-acma-for-breaching-betstop-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/625879\/","title":{"rendered":"Betting app Dabble fined $1 million by ACMA for breaching BetStop rules"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Elias Visontay\" data-testid=\"author-avatar-image\" height=\"64\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/a4d5c2fb54e9b2c94cb7e8e21c24fd556b4ef3480aa83ec12877422e35860338.png\"  width=\"64\" class=\"sc-9a01536c-0 libeSR\"\/><\/p>\n<p data-testid=\"article-datetime\" class=\"sc-5cbbddda-5 hxoHkT\">September 16, 2026 \u2014 12:01am<\/p>\n<p>Save<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-d1b14060-4 JmUoF\">You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n<p>Remove items from your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/goodfood\/saved\" class=\"sc-3f16ee48-12 sc-d1b14060-2 jyLmZI iQLtAb\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n<p>AAA<\/p>\n<p>Dabble, a social media-linked betting platform, has been slapped with more than $1 million in penalties after it breached self-exclusion laws, kept the accounts of more than 150 problem gamblers open and sent marketing material to them more than 800 times.<\/p>\n<p>The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) on Wednesday announced its investigation into the wagering platform \u2013 that allows users to copy bets from friends, former sports stars or other personalities \u2013 found a range of breaches of national self-exclusion laws known as BetStop.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Dabble was fined more than $1 million for breaching self-exclusion laws.&#10;\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cb1072bb0d38bbda924f47b57a10faa7702a77b0.jpeg\"  class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ioInpc\"\/>Dabble was fined more than $1 million for breaching self-exclusion laws.<br \/>\niStock<\/p>\n<p>The ACMA said Dabble, for which betting giant Tabcorp <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/business\/companies\/tabcorp-to-dabble-in-social-betting-with-new-investment-20221010-p5boi0.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">paid $33 million for a 20 per cent stake in 2022<\/a>, failed to close 157 wagering accounts after the account holders registered with BetStop.<\/p>\n<p>The betting platform founded by former PointsBet and CrownBet executive Tom Rundle in 2020 and known for its sponsorship of the National Basketball League and Supercars Championship, also sent 165 self-excluded people a total of 839 electronic messages as either SMS, emails or app push notifications, the ACMA found.<\/p>\n<p>Related Article<a href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/business\/companies\/6b-betting-giant-had-500-problem-gambling-breaches-but-the-regulator-took-too-long-to-act-20260508-p5zv1m.html\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hdiTqm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ethan Brown, far right, before riding Light Infantry Man in this year\u2019s Cox Plate.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/a8c24971bd0df8126fefc5d9b6f406e20e3d5b8e.jpeg\"  class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ioInpc\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>BetStop was launched in 2023 as part of Australia\u2019s self-exclusion laws aimed at allowing gamblers fearing or fighting addiction to have all of their accounts closed. Operators must also cease sending them marketing. Additionally, signing up to <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/business\/companies\/problem-gambler-allowed-to-open-account-in-just-two-minutes-as-six-companies-breach-self-exclusion-rules-20260129-p5nxwa.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">BetStop<\/a> bans an individual from opening a new account with any platform licensed to operate in Australia.<\/p>\n<p>Wagering companies are obliged to inform customers about BetStop in any electronic messages promoting or advertising gambling. The ACMA also found Dabble sent 45 customers more than 2000 push notifications without including information about BetStop, in breach of the laws.<\/p>\n<p>Dabble posted a $14.4 million profit last year.<\/p>\n<p>ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said \u201cthese were serious breaches by Dabble\u201d which had the potential to cause real harm.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople who register with BetStop have made a clear decision to exclude themselves from online wagering,\u201d she said. \u201cProviders must respect that decision by closing their accounts promptly and ensuring they are not targeted with gambling promotions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBetStop is an important consumer protection measure, but it only works if wagering companies follow the rules,\u201d Lidgerwood said.<\/p>\n<p>The $1.069 million in penalties Dabble has now paid were part of a two-year court-enforceable undertaking, requiring the company to conduct an independent review of its compliance systems and make the investment required to implement recommended improvements.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf Dabble breaches its undertaking, the ACMA can take the company to court to enforce terms,\u201d the regulator said.<\/p>\n<p>When this masthead contacted Dabble\u2019s publicly available email address for comment, its automated chatbot ROGER referred media inquiries to its public relations team. When asked for that email address, ROGER said: \u201cWe don\u2019t have a publicly listed communications or public relations contact available for media inquiries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Related Article<a href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/business\/companies\/ladbrokes-warns-customers-gamble-or-have-accounts-depleted-20260510-p5zve7.html\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hdiTqm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Entain\u2019s Ladbrokes has escaped a fine from the gambling regulator over 500 breaches of the law.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/68dd04bdac3f025b5317cf22086a65f0ed5d9520.jpeg\"  class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ioInpc\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>ROGER said Dabble\u2019s only published contact details were a physical mailing address for its headquarters based in Darwin. Gambling industry critics have suggested that companies are drawn to register in the Northern Territory due to favourable tax and regulations.<\/p>\n<p>The ACMA has previously come under fire for taking so long to conduct its investigations that it missed the 12-month window in which it could issue a penalty. Changes coming into effect next year extend the window to 24 months, and increase the maximum penalties for each breach of the rules.<\/p>\n<p>The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/newsletter-signup?newsletter=business-briefing&amp;utm_source=EditorialArticle&amp;utm_medium=ArticleText&amp;utm_campaign=Newsletters\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sign up to get it every weekday morning<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Save<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-d1b14060-4 JmUoF\">You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n<p>Remove items from your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/goodfood\/saved\" class=\"sc-3f16ee48-12 sc-d1b14060-2 jyLmZI iQLtAb\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Elias Visontay\" data-testid=\"author-avatar-image\" height=\"40\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1789519578_226_a4d5c2fb54e9b2c94cb7e8e21c24fd556b4ef3480aa83ec12877422e35860338.png\"  width=\"40\" class=\"sc-9a01536c-0 libeSR\"\/><a class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hdiTqm sc-b5b9fd03-2 jcGta-D\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/by\/elias-visontay-p5383h\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Elias Visontay<\/a> is a National Consumer Affairs Reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via <a class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hdiTqm sc-b5b9fd03-5 czsZcI\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/business\/companies\/mailto:elias.visontay@nine.com.au\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"September 16, 2026 \u2014 12:01am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":625880,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[103,61,60,410,411],"class_list":["post-625879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mental-health","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-mental-health","tag-mentalhealth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/625879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=625879"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/625879\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/625880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=625879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=625879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=625879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}