The Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) is urging consumers to exercise caution when engaging with gambling content online, such as ads endorsed by influencers or content creators promoting specific platforms, as these promotions carry a high risk of directing users to illegal or scam websites.
Because many offshore casinos are not legally permitted to operate in Australia, they lack standard consumer protections. In some instances, these platforms are entirely fraudulent and are designed specifically to steal personal information and money.
“One emerging tactic, known as ‘scambling’, combines gambling with classic scam techniques. These schemes use the promise of easy winnings, bonuses or exclusive offers to convince people to hand over money, personal information or banking details,” explained Martin Latimer, COBA’s Head of Financial Crime and Cyber Resilience.
“Some scambling sites may even provide small early payouts to build trust before encouraging larger deposits or repeated payments. Along with financial losses, victims may also have their personal information stolen and misused.”
Across social media, some influencers and content creators promote gambling platforms to their highly engaged followers by sharing referral codes, sign-up bonuses, or direct links to betting websites. Because audiences naturally trust the creators they follow, they can easily be lured into these unregulated spaces.
From 1 January 2027, new Australian wagering advertising laws will prohibit wagering operators from using influencers, celebrities and athletes in most gambling advertisements. Until these new laws take effect, scammers and offshore operators will continue to exploit these channels to target unsuspecting consumers.
Compounding this danger is the fact that influencer promotions often bypass Australian regulations entirely. Unlike advertisements produced under Australian regulatory requirements, many of these promotions may omit gambling risk warning and do not provide information about gambling support services.
Australian banks, including customer-owned banks, are working on blocking payments to illegal gambling sites, with wider implementation to follow in 2027 as part of the Government’s Gambling Reforms. Customer-owned banks recognise the role financial institutions can play in blocking payments to bad operators to reduce harm to the individuals and communities our sector serves.
“When in doubt, take a moment to ask yourself three questions: Is this a legitimate service? Is the creator or influencer being paid to promote it? And what protections do I have if something goes wrong? Just a few extra steps of research can help prevent significant financial losses,” said Latimer.
What to do if you’ve been scammed
A list of legitimate gambling sites registered with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is available here.
Consumers who believe they have encountered an illegal gambling service can report it to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) here.
If you think you have been targeted by a scam, contact your bank or financial institution immediately and report the incident through ReportCyber.