Sportsbet at odds with the law

Online bookmaker Sportsbet has been charged by authorities after using popular memes to allegedly illegally induce punters to their website by offering free betting money.

Sportsbet is facing 31 charges of publishing ‘gambling-related advertisements’ following posts made on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Picture: Getty Images

Online bookmaker Sportsbet has been charged by authorities after using popular memes to allegedly illegally induce punters to their website by offering free betting money.

The betting giant is facing 31 charges of publishing “gambling-related advertisements” following posts made on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram over a “Treasure Punt” promotion that offered 10 punters the chance to win a $10,000 bonus last year. The charges involve the posting of promotional material, some of which include memes of Steve Carell, Kevin Hart, Will Smith and a heavily inebriated man who went viral in 2013 after he was stopped by police and claimed he was “just waiting for a mate”.

Court documents obtained by The Australian claim punters were allegedly induced with the “opportunity to win a $10,000 bonus bet; and/or the opportunity to be the recipient of future similar giveaways”, and that the posts ­encouraged punters to open or reopen a betting account, and make a bet with the agency. One post, uploaded to Facebook and Twitter, was captioned “I’m just waiting for a $10,000 bonus bet …” #TreasurePunt”, alongside an image of the inebriated man, who went viral after featuring on the television show Highway Patrol.

Another post featuring comedian Kevin Hart looking shocked features the text “WHERE ARE YOU?” with the caption “One hour to go … One $10,000 bonus bet untouched … #TreasurePunt”.

A third meme featured a popular gif of Steve Carell in a scene from the US version of The Office with text underneath saying “NO! God! Please! No! Nooooo!” The ­accompanying caption says “50 minutes left and this remaining $10k bonus bet is STILL yet to be claimed … #TreasurePunt”.

A fourth meme posted on Twitter featured Will Smith in the 2007 film I Am Legend. It was captioned “Seven minutes … still one more $10k bonus bet to be found … #TreasurePunt”.

Under the Betting and Racing Act 1998, it is an offence for sport bookmakers to publish or communicate any inducement to participate in any gambling activity unless the advertising is targeted to a person who holds an account with that bookmaker. Inducement is defined as “the offer of a credit, voucher, reward or other benefit that includes additional benefits or enhancements”.

Sportsbet has also been charged with seven counts of “provide gambling advertisement without consent”, after allegedly emailing one customer seven times from November 14, 2020, to January 7, 2021 after they had ­unsubscribed from emails.

It was also charged with seven counts of not “providing a means by which the account holder can easily subscribe” after sending email advertisements to the same account holder. Each count has a maximum penalty of $110,000.

The NSW Department of ­Customer Service has also commenced court action against Tabcorp, Palmerbet, Betfair and BetDeluxe.

Earlier this month, Betfair pleaded guilty to three counts of “unlawfully publish etc gambling advertisement”, after promoting the Sportsbet Treasure Punt promotion on their website and social media.

Palmerbet has also been charged with three counts of “unlawfully publish etc gambling advertisement”, which allegedly provided punters the “opportunity to obtain special or enhanced odds” and the “opportunity to ­obtain bonus bets”.

BetDeluxe is facing 20 charges of “unlawfully publish etc gambling advertisement” over Facebook posts published last year which offered $50-$100 worth of bonus bets on NRL, AFL, NBA, horse racing and boxing markets.

On June 23, Tabcorp entered a plea of not guilty to one count of “unlawfully publish etc gambling advertisement”.

Father and son bookies Tom and Robbie Waterhouse are fighting similar charges in court.