Major betting agency fined again for repeated breaches
Tabcorp made thousands of illegal telemarketing calls over a 16-month period. AAP
One of Australia’s largest gambling companies has been hit with a multimillion-dollar fine for breaching spam and telemarketing laws.
Tabcorp Holdings Limited has been issued a $2.7 million penalty for making thousands of illegal telemarketing calls over a 16-month period.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority found the betting agency made nearly 4000 calls without identifying itself or the purpose of the call.
It made about 350 calls to numbers on the Do Not Call Register and about 80 outside of permitted hours.
TAB also admitted to sending more than 217,000 emails and texts to customers who had unsubscribed from marketing mailing lists.
Authority member Samantha Yorke said Tabcorp’s conduct was unacceptable following recent violations and ongoing risks associated with gambling advertising.
“The scale and range of these breaches point to serious weaknesses in TAB’s compliance systems,” Yorke said.
“The ACMA expects TAB to fix these issues, and we will be watching closely to ensure it meets its obligations.”
Yorke said TAB needed to respect the requests of those who opted for the Do Not Call Register.
“The ACMA expects TAB to fix these issues, and we will be watching closely to ensure it meets its obligations,” she said.
On top of the financial penalties, TAB faces a court-enforceable undertaking, requiring an independent inquiry into its telemarketing systems and providing regular compliance reports.
It’s the second fine over Tabcorp’s telemarketing and spam practices issued by the communications watchdog.
The betting company faced $4 million in penalties and a three-year court-enforceable undertaking for breaches of Australian spam laws in 2024.
TAB faced further fines in 2026 amounting to over $250,000 for offering illegal bets and ignoring self-exclusion rules.
It comes after the federal government outlined efforts to curb the negative impacts of gambling by restricting advertising across venues, broadcast and online platforms.
Strengthening laws around telemarketing and spam material has not been included in the government’s proposed reforms.
National Gambling Helpline 1800 858 858
—AAP
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