On July 6, 2026, Australia’s financial intelligence regulator AUSTRAC ordered online bookmaker bet365 to strengthen its anti-money laundering controls after the agency identified serious gaps in the company’s risk-management practices and suspicious-activity reporting. As part of a legally binding enforceable undertaking, bet365 must overhaul its systems by adopting a robust and ongoing risk-assessment approach supported by clear methodology and processes and strengthen how it detects and reports suspicious transactions as risks evolve. The undertaking, which was triggered by an independent audit of bet365’s operations, sets minimum standards that the company must meet, makes those obligations directly enforceable, and subjects the company to civil penalties for breaches under both the undertaking and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act.
According to AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas, gambling businesses carry inherent money-laundering risks. Thomas emphasized that this case highlights the risks created by gambling businesses that process large volumes of fast-moving money through often anonymous digital channels and warned that criminals can exploit these vulnerabilities when compliance controls fall behind.