Addicts who opted to be banned from gambling in Australia targeted to bet with overseas firms

Under Australian law, offshore gambling companies are banned form targeting Australian consumers and encouraging them to gamble. Photograph: Sean Prior/Alamy

Offshore gambling companies are using third-party websites to entice Australian addicts to resume betting, even after gamblers have placed voluntary restrictions on themselves.

The new trend, targeting those registered with the federal government’s BetStop service, has been condemned as “deeply concerning and opportunistic” by the media regulator, which has begun contacting the websites to “make them aware of Australia’s interactive gambling laws”.