Australias telecommunications watchdog, the ACMA, is taking legal action against prominent figures in the Australian poker community. The regulator is pursuing Rhys Edward Jones, Diverse Link Pty Ltd, and Brenton Lee Buttigieg, alleging they violated the law by providing unauthorized poker platforms.
Allegedly, Jones and Diverse Link commenced operating online gambling ventures without the necessary licensing in 2020. Buttigieg is implicated as well, accused of promoting these services and recruiting players.
Operating under various aliases such as PPPfish, Shuffle Gaming, and Redraw Poker, the operations were nonetheless tracked by the ACMA. The regulator asserts that these platforms facilitated real-money poker play for Australians, even allowing chip purchases using Bitcoin.
The ACMA is taking a strong stance, indicating that individuals involved could face penalties of up to $1.7 million Australian dollars. It’s safe to say these individuals are in a precarious legal situation.
People who violate these regulations could be subject to penalties of $2 million in Australian currency, while businesses may be held responsible for an amount five times greater.
The organization, tasked with upholding the prohibition on offering or endorsing unlawful interactive wagering activities within Australia, opted not to elaborate further on legal proceedings currently underway.