Glezer: 15 firms breached BetStop, only 3 ever fined

Consumer advocate Adam Glezer says just three firms have ever been fined despite 15 breaching Australia’s self-exclusion register.

The hit

Consumer advocate Adam Glezer says 15 wagering firms have breached Australia’s BetStop self-exclusion rules, but only three have ever been fined, according to a report by his firm Consumer Champion. Entain allegedly breached the rules 500 times without penalty because the ACMA’s probe overran its 12-month statutory limit, he told SBC News.

Why it matters

BetStop is meant to lock problem gamblers out of every licensed operator, but Glezer argues weak enforcement turns fines into a cost of doing business rather than a deterrent. He also flags Dataworks board member Ian Penrose, who also sits on Playtech’s board, calling it a conflict of interest Dataworks disputes.

The record

Unibet BetStop breaches	Over 100,000 alleged breaches, cost it $1m according to Glezer
Entain BetStop breaches	500 alleged breaches, no fine as ACMA probe exceeded 12-month limit (Glezer)
Dabble penalty	$1.1m ACMA settlement, third-ever BetStop fine, issued as of this report
Public awareness of BetStop	26.5% of Australian adults aware register exists (AIFS)
Dataworks share price	AU$6.43 at 2017 IPO, now AU$0.12
Dataworks FY26 loss	$2.25m (£1.2m) statutory loss after tax, down from $10.03m in FY25

What happens next

Watch for further ACMA settlement orders & whether Dataworks’ governance holds up once Penrose leaves the board by December 2026.

Sources: Are cracks starting to show in Australia’s BetStop scheme?

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