Australian Entain Customers Swept Into Class Action Over ‘Illegal’ Fast Code Bets

Australian customers who lost money using Entain’s Fast Code feature have been automatically included in a class-action lawsuit alleging the live-betting service breached federal gambling laws.

The online gambling giant, which operates Ladbrokes and Neds in Australia, has denied that its Fast Code feature was unlawful.

However, the Supreme Court of Victoria has ordered the company to notify affected customers and advise them of their rights regarding the class action. Fast Code previously allowed punters to place in-play wagers on live matches.

Dialing It In

Under Australia’s Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA), placing online wagers on a sporting event after it has commenced is strictly prohibited, unless the bet is made wholly over the telephone.

To bypass this restriction, online sportsbooks developed technical workarounds. An early iteration was William Hill’s “Click to Call” feature, which generated an alphanumeric code for an in-play wager built online.

Bettors then relayed the code through an automated telephone service to complete the bet. Entain’s Fast Code service operated on the same basic principle.

Federal legislation enacted in 2017 sought to close this loophole by explicitly requiring telephone betting services to be conducted wholly by voice call. Despite the change, several operators continued offering code-based products, maintaining that their systems complied with the updated law.

In December 2023, following a yearlong investigation, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) formally concluded that Fast Code and Quick Code features breached the IGA. The regulator determined that all key details—including selection, bet type, stake, and final confirmation—must be communicated by the customer via voice.

ACMA ultimately declined to issue formal fines after operators modified their platforms to comply.

System Tweaked

Under the revised system, generic Fast Codes were generated prior to an event’s start, independent of an individual customer’s live selections.

Despite these adjustments, the lawsuit covers anyone who placed bets via Entain’s Fast Code service between March 4, 2019, and March 4, 2025, and suffered financial loss.

Entain has filed a counterclaim arguing that if the class action succeeds and forces refunds on losing bets, the company should be legally entitled to claw back winnings previously paid out to those same customers.