Australia’s largest tennis event has once again drawn the attention of illegal online gambling operators. During the Australian Open, offshore iGaming companies that are prohibited from serving Australian players reportedly ran promotional campaigns linked to the tournament, using its visibility to market their brands through social media.

An investigation cited by The Guardian highlighted the case of Vegastars, an online casino that organised an Instagram giveaway featuring courtside tickets to an evening Australian Open match and a flight voucher worth $350.

The promotion used official tournament branding without permission and generated thousands of public interactions, including engagement from users based in Australia. The report also found that several other offshore operators used Australian Open logos, images of professional tennis players, or tournament-themed offers to attract attention during the event.

Industry representatives say the scale and visibility of these campaigns underline a growing enforcement gap. Kay Cantwell, head of Responsible Wagering Australia, noted that the willingness of offshore operators to advertise so openly during a major national sporting event shows how easily they can bypass existing safeguards, particularly on global digital platforms.

Australia’s gambling regulator ACMA confirmed that Vegastars is listed as an illegal operator under national law. The authority said it will move to block access to the website within Australia, adding that action will be taken against any unlicensed gambling services found to be targeting Australian consumers.

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