Official ACMA regulator finding. This page does not convert the finding into a fraud or scam verdict.
At a glance
| Record | What the official source says |
|---|---|
| Release date | 5 June 2025 |
| Decision-maker | Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) |
| Conduct ACMA reported | Failure to close accounts held by people on BetStop and marketing sent to them |
| Status reported in release | ACMA said the company had since exited the Australian market |
| Evidence boundary | No finding about unrelated complaints, withdrawals or losses |
What the regulator actually said
The ACMA's 5 June 2025 release states that its investigation found Buddybet failed to close wagering accounts for people on the National Self-Exclusion Register and sent marketing to them. The same release says the company had since exited the Australian market.
The market-status statement is dated to that release. It should not be converted into a claim about current access without a newer official check, and the compliance finding should not be used as proof of any separate consumer allegation.
Why account closure and marketing are separate safeguards
The same ACMA release explains that a wagering provider must close the account of a person on BetStop as soon as practicable and stop electronic marketing to that person. One safeguard limits account access; the other limits prompts that may draw a self-excluded person back toward gambling. A complaint should identify which safeguard appears to have failed.
Build a useful evidence timeline
- Save confirmation of the BetStop registration date and period.
- Keep account emails showing whether and when an account was closed.
- Preserve each marketing message with its sender and timestamp.
- Record the exact website or app involved; similar names are not enough.
- State what response, if any, the provider gave without treating silence as proof of fraud.
Where an Australian complaint fits
The ACMA's interactive gambling complaint page is the official route for complaints about prohibited interactive gambling services. It also links to separate forms for gambling spam and advertising. BetStop remains the direct government route for self-excluding from licensed Australian online and phone providers.
What this page does not conclude
This page reports one regulator release. It does not allege that every Buddybet account was mishandled, that a particular customer lost money, or that the service committed fraud. Documentary corrections can be sent to editorial@bestcasinoguide.top with the URL and primary evidence.
Official evidence trail
ACMA: four betting services breach self-exclusion rules
ACMA online gambling investigations
ACMA interactive gambling complaint form
BetStop National Self-Exclusion Register
Sources checked 30 July 2026. Later regulatory records may change this account.