Entain faces compliance review over 500+ BetStop breaches
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- Australia’s communications regulator has identified more than 500 self-exclusion breaches across Entain’s Ladbrokes and Neds brands.
- Entain has accepted an 18-month court-enforceable undertaking requiring an independent review of its compliance systems.
- No infringement notice was issued, but non-compliance with the undertaking could result in court-ordered financial penalties.
Entain has been placed under a court-enforceable undertaking in Australia after the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found the operator committed more than 500 breaches of national self-exclusion rules across its Ladbrokes and Neds wagering brands.
BetStop failures
The ACMA’s investigation found that Entain opened accounts for and accepted bets from individuals registered on BetStop, Australia’s National Self-Exclusion Register, which launched in August 2023. The regulator also found the company failed to close existing wagering accounts belonging to self-excluded customers, as required under the rules.
ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said many of the breaches involved customers holding multiple accounts across the two brands.
“When someone signs up to BetStop, wagering companies must close all of that person’s accounts held within their services. In this case, Entain’s systems did not adequately identify and link all wagering accounts held by those customers across its services, including one account that remained open for more than a year after the customer had self-excluded,” Lidgerwood said.
The investigation further found that new accounts were opened for individuals already registered with BetStop. Entain also failed to adequately promote the register in customer texts and emails, a separate obligation under the rules.
Undertaking and penalties
In response, the ACMA accepted an 18-month court-enforceable undertaking from Entain, committing the company to an independent review of its compliance systems and the implementation of any recommended improvements.
The regulator did not issue an infringement notice, stating that enforcement option was not available in these particular circumstances. However, failure to comply with the undertaking can result in court-ordered financial penalties.
An Entain spokesperson said the company was committed to working with the ACMA to prevent the issue from recurring.
“We take all our regulatory responsibilities seriously. These matters arose during the early stages of a new national system, and we have worked constructively with the ACMA to implement meaningful enhancements to our processes and controls. Our focus is on getting this right for our customers, particularly those who choose to self-exclude, and on building long-term trust through a strong, compliance-led culture,” the spokesperson said.
Broader enforcement picture
The action against Entain is the latest in a series of ACMA enforcement moves targeting BetStop non-compliance among licensed Australian operators. In January, the regulator concluded investigations into six operators, including Tabcorp and LightningBet, issuing remedial directions and financial penalties for similar failures.
Chasebet received a formal warning in April after failing to promote BetStop adequately in marketing communications.
The Australian findings add to a difficult period for Entain, whose shares have faced pressure following the closure of a major institutional investor position. The company has separately been pursuing growth in the Asia-Pacific region, setting a target of capturing 50% of New Zealand’s forthcoming regulated online casino market. In Europe, the group has been rationalising its retail estate, recently closing 45 Ladbrokes shops across Ireland.
Entain’s regulatory difficulties in Australia extend beyond the BetStop matter. The company also faces a separate Federal Court case brought by AUSTRAC over alleged failures to meet its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations.
Despite the compliance headwinds, Entain’s FY25 results showed underlying EBITDA of £1,160m, up 8% on a constant currency basis.
For operators holding multiple wagering brands in Australia, the Entain case shows the need for cross-brand account-linking systems that can reliably identify self-excluded customers at the point of registration.
With the ACMA signalling it will continue to enforce BetStop obligations strictly, operators that have not yet audited their compliance architecture face material regulatory risk, regardless of the scale or seniority of their market position.
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