> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.igamingnews.biz/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # AUSTRAC Takes Entain to Court Over Money Laundering Controls - URL: https://www.igamingnews.biz/austrac-entain-federal-court-aml/ - Published: 2026-11-02T09:38:43.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-02T09:40:45.000Z - Description: AUSTRAC alleges Entain's Ladbrokes and Neds businesses ran a non-compliant anti-money laundering program, the first such civil case against online betting. - Author: iGamingNews Editorial Desk - Tags: Regulation, Australia, Anti Money Laundering *Image credit: Illustration by iGamingNews Editorial Desk. Not a depiction of any licensee or regulator.* **AUSTRAC is pursuing Entain in the Federal Court over what it calls serious and systemic failures in the anti-money laundering controls of its Australian betting businesses.** On 16 December 2024, AUSTRAC commenced civil penalty proceedings against Entain Group Pty Ltd. The company operates Ladbrokes, Neds and other online betting brands. It is the first time AUSTRAC has brought civil penalty proceedings against businesses in the online betting sector. The case is almost two years old, but the allegations describe a control gap that every online operator with Australian customers should read closely. ## What AUSTRAC alleges The regulator's media release lists four main allegations: - **Governance:** Entain's board and senior management did not have appropriate oversight of its AML/CTF program. - **Third-party deposits:** Third parties accepted cash and other deposits on Entain's behalf, credited to betting accounts. Entain allegedly lacked controls to confirm who made those deposits or where the money came from. - **Round-the-clock access:** A 24/7 website and app allegedly let unknown persons reach the platform, including through third-party providers. - **High-risk customers:** Entain allegedly did not run appropriate checks on 17 higher-risk customers, and in some cases used pseudonyms to "protect their privacy" on its own systems. AUSTRAC's wording on cash is blunt. Cash "is less transparent than other forms of money and is at higher risk of being the proceeds of crime." The allegations do not claim a total value of suspicious money, and the release does not give a transaction figure. ## The regulator's case AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas said the agency considers the failures systemic. The proceedings allege that Entain "did not develop and maintain a compliant anti-money laundering program and failed to identify and assess the risks it faced." Thomas also framed the issue beyond one operator: "Money laundering is often a symptom of serious criminal activity, including fraud, scams and corruption, all of which have equally serious effects on our communities." The point for operators is in the detail. The allegations focus on who funds an account, who verifies that person, and who runs the platform, not only on suspicious transaction reports. ## Entain's response Entain CEO Gavin Isaacs said: "We note the allegations made, which we take extremely seriously." He added that Entain is "committed to keeping financial crime out of gambling." Entain said court proceedings "may take some time" and that a material penalty is possible, according to iGaming Business. The company says it began an improvement programme in December 2022, outlined the changes to AUSTRAC in 2023, and expected to complete the final changes by June 2025. ## The benchmark is casino money AUSTRAC's release places the case inside a wider enforcement push on gambling. It cites three precedents: - **Crown:** the Federal Court ordered Crown to pay A$450 million in penalties over two years in 2023. - **SkyCity:** the Federal Court ordered SkyCity to pay a A$67 million penalty for breaches of the AML/CTF Act. - **Sportsbet:** AUSTRAC accepted an enforceable undertaking from the bookmaker. The release also notes that the Star case continues in the Federal Court, and that AUSTRAC is pursuing other gambling entities. Taken together, those cases show a regulator working through the gambling sector one operator at a time. ## What happens next It is now for the Federal Court of Australia to decide whether Entain contravened the Act and, if so, what orders to make. AUSTRAC will not comment further while the matter is before the court. Non-confidential court documents will be posted on the regulator's enforcement actions page in due course. For operators selling into Australia, the case sets a practical test: can you show who funded each account, and who was allowed to use it? For bettors, the likely result is more identity and source-of-funds checks at the point of deposit. **Related coverage:** [AGCO Fines NorthStar Gaming $100,000 Over AML Failures](https://www.igamingnews.biz/agco-northstar-gaming-aml-penalty/), [QuinnBet Fined £609,104 by UKGC Over AML Failures](https://www.igamingnews.biz/quinnbet-ukgc-fine-anti-money-laundering/).