Online bookmaker Pinnacle cuts off Australian customers

Online bookmakers Pinnacle have restricted Australian gamblers’ access to the site for as yet unexplained reasons.

On Monday, the Curacao- and Malta-licensed Pinnacle’s Australian customers reported receiving emails informing them that the company was “unable to offer services in your jurisdiction after March 12th, 2018.” Pinnacle apologized for the inconvenience, but offered no explanation for their decision.

Effective immediately, Pinnacle’s Australian punters have lost the ability to make new deposits or place new wagers. All pending wagers have been canceled and the stakes returned to customers’ accounts. The site has given its Aussie customers until April 20 to withdraw their funds.

Pinnacle lacks an Australian online sports betting license, as required by the amended Interactive Gambling Act. In February, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced that it had identified 19 instances of internationally licensed online gambling operators that continued to serve local punters without an Australian license.