Tabcorp Fined $2.7 Million for Telemarketing Breaches

Tabcorp Holdings Limited has been issued a $2.7 million penalty by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for making thousands of illegal telemarketing calls and sending unsolicited messages. The gambling operator has committed to a “whole of business transformation” following these and previous violations.

What Happened

Tabcorp Holdings Limited has incurred a $2.7 million penalty for breaches related to its telemarketing practices, according to The Canberra Times. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that the betting agency made thousands of illegal telemarketing calls over a 16-month period, failing to identify itself or the purpose of the call in nearly 4000 instances (The Canberra Times).

Additionally, Tabcorp reportedly made approximately 350 calls to numbers listed on the Do Not Call Register and about 80 calls outside of permitted hours. The company also admitted to sending over 217,000 emails and texts to customers who had previously unsubscribed from marketing mailing lists (The Canberra Times).

Key Details

• Tabcorp was fined $2.7 million by the ACMA for telemarketing and spam breaches (The Canberra Times).
• The breaches involved nearly 4000 calls where the agency failed to identify itself or the call’s purpose (The Canberra Times).
• Approximately 350 calls were made to numbers on the Do Not Call Register and about 80 calls outside permitted hours (The Canberra Times).
• Tabcorp admitted to sending 217,000+ marketing emails and texts to unsubscribed customers (The Canberra Times).
• The company faces a court-enforceable undertaking requiring an independent inquiry into its telemarketing systems and regular compliance reporting, according to The Canberra Times.

Why It Matters

The penalty represents the second fine issued by the ACMA to Tabcorp concerning telemarketing and spam practices, highlighting continued regulatory scrutiny within the gambling sector. These breaches point to what ACMA authority member Samantha Yorke described as “serious weaknesses in TAB’s compliance systems” (The Canberra Times).

The situation underscores the challenges faced by regulated operators in adhering to consumer protection laws, particularly regarding unsolicited communications and subscriber preferences. Ms. Yorke emphasized that the ACMA expects Tabcorp to rectify these issues and will monitor its compliance (The Canberra Times).

This incident also follows previous legal actions against Tabcorp, including $4 million in penalties and a three-year court-enforceable undertaking for breaches of Australian spam laws in 2024, and further fines in 2026 exceeding $250,000 for offering illegal bets and ignoring self-exclusion rules (The Canberra Times).

What’s Next

Tabcorp stated it “acknowledges the recent findings” and is committed to a “whole of business transformation” under new leadership, which commenced at the end of 2024. The company has indicated it assisted the ACMA during its investigation and plans to continue collaborating with regulators throughout its transformation process (The Canberra Times).

The court-enforceable undertaking mandates an independent inquiry into Tabcorp’s telemarketing systems and requires regular compliance reports, indicating ongoing oversight from regulatory bodies (The Canberra Times).

Originally reported by The Canberra Times·Published 22 Jul 2026, 01:18