First test for FDJ as Kindred's Unibet fined $1M in Australia
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has fined Betchoice Corporation Pty Ltd, trading as Unibet, $1,014,120 for breaching BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register – rules. Following the announcement, FDJ United, which recently acquired Kindred Group (Unibet’s parent company), provided detailed statements addressing the matter to SiGMA News.
This case could mark one of the first surprises for FDJ United in its post-acquisition journey. As the French state-backed operator takes the reins of Kindred and its major brands—including Unibet—it now faces the challenge of ensuring compliance and operational integrity across a much broader global footprint.
ACMA: “Very serious breaches by Unibet over a sustained period of time”
ACMA found that Unibet had committed “more than 100,000 contraventions” of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 by failing to close the accounts of 954 customers who registered with the National Self-Exclusion Register (NSER).
“Our investigation found very serious breaches by Unibet over a sustained period of time,” member and gambling lead Carolyn Lidgerwood.
“Taking in some cases 190 days to close accounts is clearly unacceptable and does not reflect the decisions made by Unibet customers to seek support to help them not gamble,” she continued.
“The NSER rules are also there to ensure that people are making a clear and deliberate choice to recommence gambling. That is not the case if they can simply access old accounts.”
Lidgerwood also noted: “We recognise that no bets were made from these Unibet accounts or marketing sent while customers were self-excluded. However, this outcome puts the industry on notice that they must comply with the rules or face potential financial penalties and other actions available to the ACMA under the IGA.“
Unibet: “We regret the error”
In a statement to SiGMA News, Unibet and FDJ United acknowledged the findings and explained the context behind the incident:
“Unibet has received the final findings of an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) regarding compliance with BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register.“
“The investigation, focused on the early implementation period of BetStop, found that due to a technical error, 954 accounts were not closed in a timely manner after users registered with the self-exclusion scheme,” the company stated.
“Of these, 45 customers were able to access their existing accounts after their exclusion period had ended. At no time during the exclusion period were affected customers able to log in, place bets, receive marketing communications, or create new accounts.”
Immediate action and refunds
Unibet confirmed it had worked closely with ACMA to resolve the issue:
“Unibet took immediate action to resolve the issue, working closely with ACMA to ensure all affected accounts were correctly managed.“
“In addition, all 45 customers who accessed their accounts after their exclusion period ended will receive a refund of their net deposits and will be contacted directly.“
FDJ United: “Fully committed to upholding the integrity of self-exclusion measures”
FDJ United, the new owner of Kindred Group (which in turn owns Unibet), commented:
“FDJ UNITED remains fully committed to upholding the integrity of self-exclusion measures and supporting responsible gambling initiatives across all markets.”
This regulatory incident shows just how closely FDJ United’s new operations will be watched following Kindred’s integration. As the French group takes over a business active in tightly regulated markets like Australia, making sure everything runs smoothly — especially when it comes to responsible gambling rules — is likely to be high on its agenda.
ACMA enforces additional measures
In addition to the financial penalty, the ACMA has secured further commitments from Unibet to strengthen compliance.
“The ACMA has accepted a 2-year court-enforceable undertaking from Unibet,” the authority confirmed. “The undertaking commits Unibet to a comprehensive independent review of its compliance systems and processes and the implementation of recommended improvements.“
“Unibet has also voluntarily undertaken to issue refunds to affected customers who were able to access accounts that should have been closed. The ACMA considers these important commitments from Unibet, directed at ensuring future compliance.“
