Independent review validates BetStop as successful national policy
The Australian Government has formally tabled the Statutory Review of BetStop in Parliament on 25 February 2026, delivering independent validation of the National Self-Exclusion Register’s performance during its first 12 months of operation. Dataworks Group (ASX: DWG), the appointed Register Operator who developed, implemented and operates the NSER for the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), has received formal recognition that BetStop is a “successful policy” delivering on its objectives. The review also recognises the platform as being underpinned by “very sophisticated systems and state of the art, world-leading technology.”
Since launch, over 53,000 Australians have registered with BetStop as at 1 December 2025. The system has been integrated across approximately 200 licensed wagering providers. The review, led by independent reviewer Mr Richard Eccles and tabled by the Minister for Communications, was conducted pursuant to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
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What is BetStop and why does it matter?
BetStop is a national register that allows Australians to voluntarily exclude themselves from all licensed online and telephone wagering services. The system operates as critical national infrastructure, mandated under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and operated exclusively for ACMA. Government-mandated systems create recurring revenue with high barriers to replacement, positioning BetStop as essential regulatory technology rather than optional software.
The platform functions through a centralised matching and verification architecture that operates in real-time across all licensed providers. When an individual registers for self-exclusion, their details are matched against wagering provider databases to enforce compliance across the entire regulated ecosystem.
How BetStop works:
- Registration: Individuals voluntarily register for self-exclusion periods ranging from three months to lifetime
- Real-time matching: The centralised system verifies identity and matches registrations against all licensed provider databases
- Provider compliance: All approximately 200 licensed wagering operators must prevent registered individuals from accessing their services
Review confirms operational excellence across key metrics
The independent review provides formal verification of Dataworks’ delivery capability across four key operational areas. These findings validate the company’s ability to execute complex, mission-critical regulatory platforms, serving as a reference point for future contract opportunities in similar regulatory environments.
| Review Finding | Operational Significance |
|---|---|
| System embedded across ~200 providers | Full ecosystem integration achieved |
| Centralised matching operating reliably | Real-time infrastructure performing at national scale |
| Compliance integration matured | Industry adoption beyond initial launch phase |
| Delivering harm minimisation outcomes | Policy objectives being met |
The review confirms that the centralised matching and verification architecture is operating reliably at national scale, with compliance integration across industry having matured since launch. The system is described as being “administered well by the ACMA and the Register operator,” with the NSER performing “an essential and much needed function.”
Recommendations signal potential scope expansion
The review recommends strengthening the scheme over time through increased awareness initiatives and enhanced data-matching collaboration. Consideration has been given to expanding scope to online keno and other rapid-play products currently outside the NSER framework. The Australian Government is currently considering the review and will respond to its recommendations, including any decision on changes to the scheme, in due course. Scope expansion represents potential contract growth without requiring new customer acquisition by Dataworks.
Cross-channel integration opens future growth pathway
The review identifies stakeholder interest in improving coordination between online self-exclusion frameworks and land-based gambling environments as a key area for future development. The NSER currently applies to online and telephone wagering only, but the review notes the policy aspiration of achieving more seamless interaction between online and in-person exclusion systems over time.
Dataworks’ modular, centralised architecture is capable of supporting multi-jurisdiction and multi-channel integrations. The successful delivery and operation of BetStop demonstrates the company’s capability to deploy secure identity verification and real-time matching infrastructure capable of operating across complex regulatory ecosystems. Land-based integration represents a materially larger addressable market than the current online and telephone wagering scope.
Al Watson, CEO of Dataworks Group
“The Statutory Review provides strong independent validation of BetStop’s performance, and the underlying technology architecture developed and operated by Dataworks. Delivering a secure, real-time national platform integrated across the entire regulated online wagering sector required significant technical and operational capability. We are pleased that the Review has recognised both the robustness of the system and its important public policy role. BetStop demonstrates Dataworks’ ability to deliver infrastructure-grade regulatory technology at scale. We believe this capability is increasingly relevant as governments and regulators continue to strengthen compliance and harm-minimisation frameworks across digital and land-based sectors.”
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What this means for the investment case
The statutory review provides strategic validation points for Dataworks Group’s (ASX: DWG) broader regulatory technology capability:
- Independent government validation: Third-party verification of technology and operational delivery removes execution risk from future capability claims
- National infrastructure operation: Demonstrated ability to operate real-time, high-availability systems at scale across 200 licensed providers
- Platform scalability: Architecture proven adaptable to additional regulatory environments beyond initial wagering scope
- Contract expansion pathway: Potential scope widening through online keno inclusion and cross-channel integration into land-based environments
The NSER operates as a real-time, high-availability national regulatory infrastructure platform integrated across the regulated online wagering ecosystem. The company believes the successful delivery and operation of the NSER demonstrates the scalability and adaptability of its core technology architecture across additional regulatory and sector environments. This review serves as an external reference point that de-risks Dataworks’ capability claims for future business development, both in Australia and internationally.
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