Online gambling firm 888 could find itself foul of several laws if news of its latest campaign is anything to go by. According to The Age, one of Australia's national dailies, the multi million dollar firm has been contacting Australian gambling fans to offer them large bonuses and incentives to gamble online.
The campaign, which has been branded illegal by the Victoria Justice Department and The Age, came to light last week after the newspaper conducted a full investigation of several internet poker websites. Following a visit to a site, The Age was contacted by 888.com company Pacific Poker. A representative from the firm allegedly told a reporter: "We noticed you have tried to log on to our site and been unsuccessful. If you would like to come back we can sort out any technical problems and also offer you a bonus." The represenative went on to say that Pacific Poker would also provide an extra 35 percent bonus on any amount deposited in a gambling account.

A Victorian Department of Justice spokesperson has branded the telephone approaches to gamblers "illegal" and has said that the State of Victoria recognizes that the lead should be taken by the federal government. Under Australian federal law, online casinos are banned under the Federal Interactive Gambling Act from accepting bets from Australian residents and from advertising their services in Australia.

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