Amused Group Accused of Offering Hush Money to Silence Gambling Complaint

Australian gambling company Amused Group is at the center of a scandal after offering AU$25,000 (~$16,200) hush money to a Melbourne man to withdraw a complaint to the local gambling regulator.

The complainant is Melbourne resident George Burns, 23. Burns went on a gambling spree in 2022, at the age of 21, using two gambling platforms known as BetNation and BetDeluxe.

Burns alleges that he deposited AU$10,000, AU$25,000, and AU$35,000 within eight minutes. 

Later that same day, in his next gambling session, he made several deposits in 17 minutes totaling AUD$120,000.

Not Amused: Hush Money Declined

Burns’ complaint focuses on the fact that neither of the two companies nor any of their employees reached out in an attempt to prevent his behavior. 

According to the regulations of the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission (NTRWC), bookmakers are obliged to “identify and respond to red flag behaviors.” He alleges that no one at the two companies conducted source-of-funds checks.  

The two firms were acquired by Amused Group in March 2023, only a few months after Burns’ gambling spree.

Burns then filed his complaint with NTRWC, which is in charge of regulating most online gambling firms in Australia. The complaint was received in mid-March 2024, and shortly thereafter, he was contacted by a representative of Amused Group via WhatsApp messages. 

Burns told The Guardian that the representative said: “Are you free for a brief call now? I wanted to discuss a settlement for your account.”

After accepting the call, he was offered AUD$25,000, and in return, asked to withdraw the complaint by the end of the day. Burns was also asked to agree to confidentiality provisions and indemnify them, including against negative media coverage.

Burns decided to reject this offer, even though he acknowledged that the offered sum would help him. However, he argued that accepting the hush money would not help any other person who had suffered in a similar way to him.

A spokesperson for Amused Group refused to comment on the allegations or the alleged offer made to Burns, citing confidentiality and privacy considerations. They stated that the group takes all customer complaints seriously and handles matters in accordance with the law.

Gambling Company’s Actions Face Heavy Criticism

Since the allegations surfaced, many in the Australian gambling industry shared their thoughts on the matter. The country’s gambling problem has been rapidly growing, and many have started referring to it as the “black hole.” 

“In my view, [they] should be used in limited circumstances and should not prevent a complaint to a regulator,” said the Consumer Action Law Center’s CEO, Stephanie Tonkin. 

Gambling researcher Lauren Levin also shared her thoughts, saying that in the majority of cases, an offer of quick cash can be overwhelming if the financial circumstances are dire.

Martin Thomas of the Alliance for Gambling Reform also commented, saying that this behavior makes a mockery of the complaints system if this is standard practice. He added that the government needs to do more to protect Australians.

Recently, Australia’s Northern Territory has unveiled plans to double the annual wagering tax cap. The plan, set to take effect on July 1, is expected to generate an additional AU$13.1 million in yearly revenue.