PointsBet Calls for Payment Restrictions on Offshore Bookmakers and Real-Time Ad Takedowns in Australia

PointsBet has called on the Australian government to block payment channels used by illegal offshore bookmakers and require faster removal of unlicensed gambling ads from digital platforms. Group CEO Andrew Catterall presented the proposals at the company’s annual general meeting, pointing to enforcement models in Canada and New Zealand as examples worth following.

Catterall said payments providers and banks should face examination to stop Australians transferring funds to unregulated operators. He cited Canada’s restrictions on data providers servicing black-market operators and New Zealand’s work to direct punters to licensed wagering. Catterall also pushed for tighter controls on Australian influencers paid commissions by offshore sites.

“That needs to be shut down. There’s a raft of things to get at there, and we really need a concerted effort to get at it,” he said.

Catterall stressed that real-time takedown of illegal ads is important on online digital platforms. He noted that offshore operators can phoenix their brands or hide behind other accounts but that promotions remain visible across social media.

The offshore market represents about 30% of the licensed domestic wagering market and grows at a considerably faster rate. PointsBet‘s taxation and product-fee burden equals about 50% of its revenue, costs avoided by operators outside the regulated framework.

Advertising Reforms Add Cost and Complexity for Licensed Operators

Catterall’s comments came while PointsBet assesses the federal government’s gambling advertising reform package, which has passed parliament. The company awaits precise definitions and guidance on its operation. Catterall said the post-reform operating model for licensed Australian wagering operators will get even more complicated and more expensive.

“No one involved in the gambling advertising reform debate should want this to afford even more advantage to the illegal offshore operators who currently don’t follow any of the rules, don’t pay any Australian tax, don’t answer to any Australian authorities, and represent a very real and growing risk to the protection of Australian consumers,” he said, according to reporting by Yogonet International.

PointsBet has already cut its advertising exposure, ending sponsorship agreements with NRL clubs Manly and Cronulla in 2025 and reducing free-to-air television expenditure. Catterall added that the company has supported pragmatic reform for three years and now wants to see it implemented with adequate regulator resources.

The Enforcement Gap

New advertising rules risk widening the advantage for offshore operators unless paired with concrete payment curbs and platform accountability measures. Without those steps, the competitive distortion will grow, leaving licensed providers carrying heavier burdens while consumer protections remain incomplete.

Reporting: Yogonet International

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