Melbourne player rejects Amused Group's $25k settlement offer
A young Melburnian’s decision to refuse a financial settlement from betting companies has thrown Australia’s gambling harm prevention measures into sharp relief. Gordon Burns, 23, declined AU$25,000 from Amused Group, operators of BetNation and BetDeluxe, to withdraw a regulatory complaint about their handling of his problem gambling patterns.
“They wanted my silence, not solutions”
Burns’ complaint to the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission (NTRWC) detailed how both platforms failed to intervene despite glaring red flags. In 2024, he deposited AU$190,000 within minutes through multiple transactions, including three separate AU$120,000 deposits in 17 minutes. Under NTRWC rules, operators must monitor and restrict accounts showing such high-risk behaviour.
The settlement offer came via WhatsApp in March 2024, with an Amused Group representative requesting an immediate decision: “Are you free for a brief call now? I wanted to discuss a settlement for your account.” Burns told , “The $25,000 might help me, but it’s not going to help the next person that has suffered.”
An Amused Group spokesperson defended confidentiality clauses as “standard practice across many industries”, adding they aim to “provide finality and protect privacy” rather than suppress legitimate concerns.
Regulators ramp up enforcement
The NTRWC confirmed that withdrawn complaints don’t automatically halt investigations, highlighting recent AU$1 million fines against Unibet for self-exclusion failures. Meanwhile, the Australian Communications and Media Authority chair Nerida O’Loughlin emphasised the importance of compliance. After all, the BetStop national self-exclusion register was designed to prevent problem gamblers from accessing accounts.
Systemic reforms gain momentum
With Australians losing AU$25 billion annually to gambling, pressure mounts for legislative changes. Alliance for Gambling Reform CEO Martin Thomas condemned Burns’ experience as evidence of a flawed system.
The organisation advocates for full implementation of the Murphy Report’s 31 recommendations, including a phased ban on gambling ads. Thomas argues the 3 May federal election presents “the best chance in years for real reform”, particularly with growing crossbench support for stricter controls .
As Gordon Burns’ complaint makes its way through the NTRWC, it’s impossible to ignore the bigger picture: the gambling industry’s commercial push is increasingly at odds with the need to protect vulnerable customers. Online betting is booming, with more than 21% of adults in Australia now participating.
Even so, stories about regulatory slip ups are still grabbing attention, and the industry continues to pull in billions each year. Against this backdrop, there’s a growing sense that real reform can’t wait any longer, with more and more people calling for action to make sure individuals are properly looked after when it comes to gambling risks.
