Ladbrokes and Neds Found in Breach of Australian Self-Exclusion Rules

Entain’s Australian brands Ladbrokes and Neds have been found in breach of national self-exclusion rules, following an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

The regulator identified more than 500 breaches of BetStop, Australia’s national self-exclusion register, raising concerns about how effectively wagering operators are enforcing responsible gambling measures.

More than 500 BetStop breaches identified

The ACMA investigation began in December 2024 after receiving consumer complaints. It found that Ladbrokes and Neds allowed some self-excluded individuals to open accounts and continue wagering.

Under BetStop rules, players who register must have all gambling accounts closed and be prevented from opening new ones. However, the regulator found multiple cases where this did not happen.

Some customers were able to maintain active accounts across both brands, with one account reportedly remaining open for more than a year after the individual had self-excluded.

The breaches also included failures to properly promote BetStop in marketing communications, such as emails and text messages.

Multi-account systems under scrutiny

According to ACMA, many of the failures were linked to how Entain’s systems handled customers with multiple accounts across Ladbrokes and Neds.

ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said 

Operators are required to identify and link all accounts belonging to a single customer. In this case, gaps in those processes meant some accounts were not detected or closed as required.

The issue highlights a broader compliance challenge for operators managing multiple brands under a single platform, particularly when enforcing national responsible gambling tools like BetStop.

Entain agrees to compliance overhaul

Rather than issuing financial penalties, the ACMA has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from Entain. The agreement requires the company to carry out an independent review of its compliance systems and processes.

The review will run over an 18-month period and includes implementing any recommended improvements to prevent similar breaches in future.

While no infringement notice was issued, the regulator warned that failing to comply with the undertaking could lead to court-ordered penalties.

The case signals ongoing regulatory pressure in Australia, where authorities continue to tighten oversight of responsible gambling obligations and enforcement standards, particularly around AI use in Australian gambling.