Search engines with Australian domains, including Google, are now being investigated by authorities. The investigation comes in a possible breach of interactive gambling laws. Australia prohibits advertising over the internet.
Australia's Interactive Gambling Act 2001 prohibits advertising of gambling services on the internet where 'it is possible that the majority of that site's users are in Australia. They are trying to prevent Australians from gambling, and this is promoting gambling with in the country. Additional banned services include; online gaming services like roulette, poker, craps, online poker games and blackjack.
Breaching the Act has a maximum penalty of AU$220,000 per day for individuals, and AU$1.1 million per day for businesses. Australia alleged illegal practice came by Google and other search engine operators are also being looked into. Google Australia displays advertising links to online gambling sites when certain keywords are misspelled, on purpose. However, they are not alone, a lesser- known Melbourne-based search engine company Web Wombat has admitted to participating in these activities. |
