Online operators' age control responsibilities
Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, all licensed interactive gambling providers in Australia are required to ensure that the customer is at least 18 years old, prior to registration, deposit or first bet.
1. Pre-verification (ACIP)
Mandatory completion of ACIP before counting and betting
From September 29, 2024, all providers must complete the Applicable Customer Identification Procedures (ACIP) before offering any gambling services to the user.
Information confirmed in ACIP: full name, date of birth, address; reconciliation with banking and government registries.
2. Document and DVS Review
Document Verification Service
Operators submit passport, driver's license or birth certificate scans to DVS for instant authentication and date of birth.
OCR and biometrics
Text recognition and comparison of selfies with photos from the document are used; in case of non-conformity - interlock before manual check.
3. Verify with BetStop self-exclusion register
Connect to BetStop
Licensed providers are required to check every new and existing customer on the National Register of Self-Exclusion (BetStop), preventing those who exclude themselves from betting.
Ban on marketing and opening an account for self-excluded.
4. Record keeping and proof of good faith
Thorough logs of all verifications, DVS checks, BetStop requests and failures.
Due diligence proof: When checking the ACMA, the operator is required to show that he has accepted "reasonable indications and exercised due diligence" to prevent admission of <18 years.
5. Detection measures <18 years
Instant account blocking and freezing of funds.
Closing or suspension of the reporting account until the age is confirmed.
ACMA report on identified case of age threshold violation.
6. Liability for non-compliance
| Type of violation | Sanctions |
|---|---|
| Provision of services <18 years | Fines up to 1.1 million AUD/day (company) and up to 220,000 AUD/day (responsible person) |
| Ignoring BetStop and ACIP | Civil and criminal sanctions, license suspension |
| Incomplete documentation of verifications | Formal prescriptions, infringement notices or injunctions |
Result
Online operators are required before the first contact with money:
- 1. Conduct ACIP (bank verification).
- 2. Verify documents through DVS and biometrics.
- 3. Connect to BetStop and check for self-exclusion.
- 4. Keep complete logs and be ready to prove "due diligence" before ACMA.
- Violations threaten multimillion-dollar fines and loss of license.
