A fake online casino takes your deposit, rigs the games, and blocks your winnings until you pay more
Fake gambling websites and apps mimic real casinos, accept deposits, then manipulate results or block withdrawal of winnings. Victims are told to pay more fees to release funds, or are pressured to recruit friends. First Nations communities are disproportionately targeted via social media.
Also known as: scambling Australia, fake online casino Australia, fake gambling website, First Nations gambling scam
Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes
- 1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
- 2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
- 3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.
What to do right now
- 1 Stop depositing money immediately — paying additional fees to unlock winnings is the core mechanic of this scam
- 2 Contact your bank or payment provider as soon as possible to report fraudulent transactions
- 3 Do not share identity documents with sites you cannot verify as licensed Australian businesses
- 4 If someone asked you to move money on their behalf, contact your bank — this could be money laundering and you may be liable
- 5 For culturally safe support, contact the ACCC's First Nations infoline on 1300 303 143
- 6 Report to Scamwatch at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam or ReportCyber at https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.
Red flags
- ⚠ The gambling site or app was promoted via a social media ad or shared by a friend, not found through a known licensed casino
- ⚠ You can see a balance or winnings on the platform, but every withdrawal attempt is blocked or requires an additional payment or fee
- ⚠ You are asked to share your identity documents or personal details with a site you are unsure is legitimate
- ⚠ The site or app encourages you to recruit friends or family in exchange for bonuses
- ⚠ You paid via PayID — AUSTRAC warns that gambling sites accepting PayID are almost certainly scams
- ⚠ Online casino and blackjack sites are illegal in Australia; any site offering them to Australian residents is likely a scam
Sources
- ACCC / NASC — New taskforce to tackle 'scambling' as fake online casinos target First Nations Australians (2026)
- ABC News — 'Scambling' is an online gambling scam targeting First Nations communities (August 2025)
- SBS NITV — In some Indigenous communities, 80% of people have been scammed by fake online casinos
- NASC — Scambling statistics update: 806 reports in 2025, losses AUD $1.6m (September 2026)