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PlayUp Interactive, which operates under the trading name Draftstars, has been fined AU$586,000 ($394,389) by the Downing Centre Local Court for breaching New South Wales (NSW) gambling laws.
The fine was imposed on 12 August 2024, following an investigation by Liquor & Gaming NSW, which uncovered 33 instances of illegal advertisements on the company’s website.
The court found PlayUp Interactive guilty of publishing advertisements that included inducements to participate in gambling activities, which is prohibited under NSW law. The illegal advertisements were found to offer incentives for individuals to gamble more frequently and to open new betting accounts.
Such actions are considered offenses in NSW, where strict regulations govern the advertising of gambling services.
Dimitri Argeres, Liquor & Gaming NSW Director of Compliance & Enforcement, said: “NSW bans the advertisement of any offer of an inducement to participate in a gambling activity, including an inducement to bet more frequently, to persons who do not hold a betting account with the betting operator.”
Argeres further clarified that while betting operators like PlayUp Interactive are permitted to advertise their products, they must not promote inducements such as bonus bets or increased odds to entice individuals to open betting accounts.
He stressed that it is the responsibility of the betting service provider to ensure that prohibited gambling advertisements are not published or communicated within NSW.
The substantial fine imposed on PlayUp Interactive is one of the largest of its kind in the state and underscores Liquor & Gaming NSW’s zero-tolerance approach to illegal gambling advertisements.
Earlier this year, the former licensee of the St George Hotel in Belmore was fined for operating gaming machines outside of permitted hours, another example of the regulator’s active role in maintaining compliance within the industry.
NSW law prohibits offering inducements to open betting accounts, refer others to do so, or keep a betting account open. Corporations found guilty of publishing prohibited gambling advertising face a maximum penalty of AU$110,000, while individuals can be fined up to AU$11,000.
