# How BetStop works and who has to take part > What BetStop is, what it covers and what it does not, with 2026 ACMA actions on self-exclusion breaches. A plain-language summary with dated sources. Source: https://bookiechecklist.com/betstop-explained/ Updated: 2026-11-13 BetStop is Australia's national self-exclusion register, running since 21 August 2023. Registering excludes you from licensed Australian online and phone wagering providers for a period from three months to lifetime. It does not cover online casinos, which are banned, or unlicensed sites. Source: Part 7B of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and the Register Rules, checked 13 November 2026. This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. ## What BetStop is BetStop is the National Self-Exclusion Register. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) oversees it, and a contractor, Dataworks Group Limited, runs it on ACMA's behalf. The legal basis is Part 7B of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) and the Register Rules. You choose a period from three months to lifetime. What a provider must do once your registration is active, such as closing accounts and stopping messages, is set out in the Rules. This edition has not read them line by line, and the 2026 actions below concern exactly those duties. **Where this stands:** the register's start date, legal basis and period range are on file; the duties in the Rules are Not confirmed on 2026-11-13. ## What it covers and what it leaves out **BetStop coverage · BetStop and ACMA pages, as summarised in the country brief · checked 2026-11-13** | Service | Covered by BetStop | Why | |---|---|---| | Licensed online wagering | Yes | Licensed providers are in scope of Part 7B | | Licensed phone wagering | Yes | Phone wagering is named alongside online | | Online casinos | No | Banned in Australia, so no licensed providers exist | | Unlicensed or offshore services | No | Outside the register's reach | | Venue gaming and retail betting | Not confirmed on 2026-11-13 | The pages read do not say | The last row is a gap, not a finding. If you also use a venue or a retail agency, ask BetStop's help line what applies to you. **Where this stands:** BetStop covers licensed online and phone wagering only, so it cannot protect you on an unlicensed site. ## Who has to take part Licensed wagering providers are bound by the BetStop rules. The strongest evidence on this page is enforcement: in 2026 ACMA took action against several providers for breaching them. **ACMA actions on BetStop breaches, 2026 · ACMA media releases · checked 2026-11-13** | Date | Provider | Outcome | |---|---|---| | 2026-01-29 | Six wagering providers, including Tabcorp | Tabcorp paid A$112,680 and gave an undertaking; others received remedial directions or a warning; one decision was still being prepared | | 2026-05-06 | Entain (Ladbrokes AU, Neds AU) | 18-month court-enforceable undertaking after more than 500 breaches | | 2026-09-16 | Dabble Sports | A$1,069,200 and a two-year court-enforceable undertaking; 157 accounts not closed, 839 messages sent to 165 excluded people | The outcome of the decision still pending in January is Not confirmed on 2026-11-13. ACMA also published its review report on BetStop on 18 December 2025. **Where this stands:** three 2026 ACMA actions are on file, each with a release date and an amount or undertaking. ## How many people have registered The Bills Digest records 54,859 registrations to the end of the second quarter of 2025-26, and 35,135 active exclusions at 31 December 2025. We have not re-read these against a BetStop publication, so treat them as quoted figures, not verified counts. A registration count says nothing about how well any one provider applies the rules. That is why the ACMA actions above matter more for check C06. **Where this stands:** two figures are quoted from Bills Digest No. 8, 2026-27 and are due for a re-read. ## BetStop and check C06 Check C06 asks whether a bookmaker's own page describes account closure or self-exclusion and links to BetStop. The result is Found when both appear on the page checked. It is Not found on the page checked when the page opened without them. It is Not confirmed on the check date (for example, Not confirmed on 2026-11-13) when the page could not be read. A Not found result is not proof the provider ignores BetStop. It means the item was not on that page. See [the twelve checks as a list](https://bookiechecklist.com/before-you-open-an-account/) to run it yourself, or [how to register](https://bookiechecklist.com/register-with-betstop/) if you want to exclude yourself. **Where this stands:** C06 reads only the provider's page and BetStop's link; it never states how well the provider honours an exclusion. ## Sources - [BetStop: About](https://www.betstop.gov.au/about/) and [FAQs](https://www.betstop.gov.au/faqs/) - [BetStop: Register](https://www.betstop.gov.au/signup/) - [ACMA: six wagering providers breach self-exclusion rules, 29 January 2026](https://www.acma.gov.au/articles/2026-01/six-wagering-providers-breach-gambling-self-exclusion-rules) - [ACMA: Ladbrokes and Neds breach self-exclusion rules, 6 May 2026](https://www.acma.gov.au/articles/2026-05/ladbrokes-and-neds-breach-gambling-self-exclusion-rules) - [ACMA: Dabble pays $1m penalty, 16 September 2026](https://www.acma.gov.au/articles/2026-09/dabble-pays-1m-penalty-gambling-self-exclusion-breaches) - [Parliament of Australia: Bills Digest No. 8, 2026-27](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd2627/27bd008) Related rules on limits are in [the NCPF summary](https://bookiechecklist.com/consumer-protection-framework-ncpf/) and [setting a deposit limit](https://bookiechecklist.com/set-a-deposit-limit/). ## 18+ and where to get help 18+ only. Gambling can be harmful. Need help? Call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858 (free, 24/7) or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au. To exclude yourself from licensed Australian online and phone wagering providers, register with BetStop at betstop.gov.au. We are not a bookmaker and do not take bets. ## FAQ **What is BetStop?** BetStop is the National Self-Exclusion Register. It started on 21 August 2023 and sits under Part 7B of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and the Register Rules. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) oversees it. **How long can you register for?** The period runs from three months to lifetime. The registration page on betstop.gov.au is the place to read the exact choices on offer, because this edition has not captured them: Not confirmed on 2026-11-13. **Does BetStop cover online casinos or unlicensed sites?** No. It covers licensed Australian online and phone wagering providers. Online casinos are banned in Australia, and unlicensed services sit outside the register. **Who has to take part?** Licensed wagering providers are bound by the BetStop rules, and ACMA acted on breaches in 2026. The line-by-line duties in Part 7B and the Register Rules have not been read for this edition. **Where can I get help with signing up?** BetStop lists 1800 238 786 for help with registration. Gambling Help Online runs a free, 24/7 line on 1800 858 858.