TAB pays $2.7m for spam and telemarketing breaches

TAB has paid more than $2.7 million in penalties after the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found the wagering operator breached spam and telemarketing laws.

The ACMA found that between February 2024 and June 2025, TAB made 351 telemarketing calls to numbers on the Do Not Call Register without consent, 82 calls outside permitted calling hours, and nearly 4,000 calls without properly identifying itself and/or the purpose of the call.

The regulator also found TAB sent more than 217,000 marketing emails and SMS messages over a 16-day period in 2025 to customers who had unsubscribed from specific marketing channels. The conduct was self-reported by the company.

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ACMA cites compliance failures

ACMA authority member Samantha Yorke said consumers' marketing preferences must be respected.

“When people join the Do Not Call Register or unsubscribe from marketing messages, they are making a clear choice,” Ms Yorke said.

“Those choices must be respected – especially given the heightened risks of financial loss and psychological harm from gambling marketing.”

Yorke said the breaches highlighted shortcomings in TAB's systems and processes.

“The scale and range of these breaches point to serious weaknesses in TAB’s compliance systems. The ACMA expects TAB to fix these issues, and we will be watching closely to ensure it meets its obligations.”

Second enforcement action

The action is the second spam enforcement outcome against TAB.

In 2024, the ACMA imposed penalties of more than $4 million over non-compliant SMS and WhatsApp messages sent to VIP customers.

The regulator said it took into account that the latest conduct was self-reported, occurred over a 16-day period and involved customers who had unsubscribed from a specific marketing channel rather than all marketing communications.

Independent review required

The ACMA has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking requiring TAB to conduct an independent review of its telemarketing systems, implement improvements and provide regular compliance reports.

The undertaking is in addition to a separate spam undertaking already in place following the ACMA's previous enforcement action.

According to the regulator, businesses have paid more than $12 million in penalties for spam and telemarketing breaches over the past 18 months.