Australian authorities have established a new cross-sector taskforce to combat “scambling”, a growing scam involving fake online gambling platforms that imitate legitimate casino websites while preventing users from accessing their money.
The National Anti-Scam Centre, part of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), said the latest fusion cell will examine how these operations target consumers, with particular attention on the impact within First Nations communities.
According to Scamwatch, 806 scambling reports were submitted during 2025, compared with 677 the previous year. Reported losses rose from about A$449,000 in 2024 to A$1.6 million in 2025. Regulators believe the actual scale is higher because many victims assume they lost money through gambling rather than fraud.
“These scams create legitimate-looking online gambling platforms to convince consumers to deposit money for supposed gambling services, often before blocking withdrawals or demanding further payments,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.
Scamwatch data showed that more than 45% of reported losses came from consumers who identified as First Nations Australians.
“Given the nature of this scam, we believe scambling is significantly underreported because people may think they have lost money through gambling, rather than through a scam,” Ms Lowe said.
Taskforce Targets Scam Networks
The fusion cell brings together law enforcement agencies, regulators, government bodies, banks, telecommunications providers, digital platforms and community organisations. It will investigate how fake gambling platforms attract users, spread online and avoid detection while working with affected communities to improve prevention efforts.
“We need to understand how these scams are targeting First Nations communities so that we can prevent this from happening,” Ms Lowe said. “The fusion cell’s work will create a clearer picture of how the scams operate, the impact they’re having on Australians, the factors that are enabling them and how they can be disrupted.”
The taskforce will also test disruption measures, expand public awareness and strengthen support services. It will operate until 9 December 2026, with a report scheduled for publication in 2027.
Online Gambling Landscape
Australian law permits licensed operators to offer sports betting, race wagering and lotteries online, while online casino games, real-money pokies and in-play betting remain illegal.
Authorities said scambling websites manipulate gambling outcomes, block withdrawals and may offer small early payouts to encourage additional deposits. Some also request identity documents that can later be used for identity theft or money laundering.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) said in June that it has blocked 1,751 illegal gambling and affiliate websites since November 2019, while more than 230 services have left the Australian market since enforcement intensified in 2017.
The crackdown comes as online gambling remains common. An ACMA survey found 38% of Australian adults used at least one regulated online gambling product during the six months to June last year. Separate Australian National University research found overall gambling participation declined from 60.3% in 2024 to 58.8% in 2025, while higher-risk gambling increased from 13.7% to 19.4%. The study also found 56.1% of gamblers primarily gambled online.
Source:
“New taskforce to tackle ‘scambling’ as fake online casinos target First Nations Australians”, nasc.gov.au, Jul 8, 2026
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