LuckyBet was formally warned by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in September 2025 for allegedly contravening the Interactive Gambling Act (IGA). The ACMA found the casino was unlicensed in Australia and provided a prohibited service to Australian customers.
Decades earlier, Ms Kelly voted to pass the IGA, which banned digital slots and live betting after a sports match had started. She argued at the time that gambling websites were “exploiting the vulnerable and susceptible in our society”.
The leaked Curaçao Gaming Authority files show Ms Kelly was a major shareholder and the chief compliance officer of LuckyBet when it first applied for a gambling licence in March 2024. The Curaçao regulator’s staff noted this arrangement presented a “conflict”. Her son, Ian Parke, was listed as the company’s director and the other major shareholder.
Documents later filed with the Curaçao regulator indicate that LBC Enterprises Australia Pty Ltd, the company through which Ms Kelly and other shareholders held a stake in LuckyBet, was removed as a shareholder on March 6, 2025. This left a company controlled by Mr Parke as the sole shareholder. Ms Kelly had ceased to hold a stake in LuckyBet before the ACMA issued its formal warning.
The Curaçao regulator revoked LuckyBet’s licence at the end of 2025, but the website remains live. Ms Kelly and Mr Parke did not respond to requests for comment.
The ACMA told the ABC it was not aware of the Australian ownership connection at the time of its investigation. “Information available during the investigation indicated that [LuckyBet]’s owners and directors were registered in Curaçao,” a spokesperson said. “We will assess the new information about a possible Australian ownership connection and determine whether any further action is warranted.”