Australian betting syndicate Worldwide Sporting Investments (WSI) has collapsed, owing over AU$2 million to its investors, according to reports from the Daily Telegraph.
It marks the end of a turbulent chapter for owner Tyler Roberts, who had allegedly been kidnapped by associates of a leading criminal organization in Sydney last year.
WSI folds with less than AU$1,000 in bank
Roberts operated a sports-betting syndicate, pooling funds from external investors and placing wagers through online bookmakers. However, his picks continued to fail to find the mark, leading to several investors seeking the liquidation of his company.
According to reports, among those owed money are David Baldwin, with nearly AU$800,000 outstanding; Ryan Mark Strauss, owed more than AU$400,000; and Corey Van Genderan, who initiated liquidation proceedings over a debt of AU$56,000.
One of the syndicate’s biggest investors, though, were associates of the Alameddine crime network, a Sydney-based organized crime group linked to drug trafficking, firearms offences and violent extortion, according to police. Law enforcement has targeted the network through repeated raids and arrests and describe it as a loose affiliation of family members and associates rather than a single structured organization.
Last year, Roberts and his girlfriend, Mariah Burr-McLean, were allegedly abducted on the Sunshine Coast by suspected members of that group. Police said the pair were abducted late at night when a group of men surrounded their car outside their home and taken to an apartment.
Authorities say Roberts had earlier raised about AU$3.1 million from individuals associated with the same criminal network. He has alleged the funds were taken by a former business associate, a claim police have not confirmed.
Armed police eventually stormed the apartment and arrested two of the men, while the other five were later arrested at a separate address. Police were able to trace the men after they allowed Burr-McLean to hold onto her phone throughout the ordeal.
This week, liquidators said the company did not have enough money to cover the debts and it remains to be seen whether any other recoverable assets remain.
Australia’s chequered history with illegal gambling
The country’s authorities have pursued multiple illegal gambling and betting-related cases in recent years, many involving fraudulent syndicates and organised crime links. In 2023, police in New South Wales charged a Sydney man over an alleged AU$2 million fake betting scheme that promised high returns to investors.
In 2021, convicted fraudster Peter Foster was arrested over the Sports Trading Club, an online betting operation accused of misleading investors with claims of extraordinary returns. Hundreds of complaints were lodged, with authorities alleging the scheme functioned as a large-scale investment fraud rather than a legitimate betting enterprise.
In 2024, Australian football was rocked by an A-League match-fixing investigation, with players charged over a betting scheme involving manipulated yellow cards. Police alleged the operation was linked to offshore gambling interests, highlighting ongoing concerns about organised crime exploiting sports betting markets in Australia and beyond her shores.
Regulators have also targeted systemic issues, including actions against Crown Resorts between 2020 and 2022 over money laundering tied to gambling operations. Separately, ongoing investigations into online betting scams and compliance breaches by bookmakers underscore the persistence of illegal and unethical practices across Australia’s gambling sector.
The ACMA orders closure of eight more gambling sites
Australia’s communications regulator has moved to further restrict illegal online gambling, asking internet service providers to block a new batch of websites found to be breaching national laws. The action follows investigations under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) said it can direct ISPs to block access to offending sites using powers under section 313 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. The measure is aimed at disrupting access to unlawful offshore gambling services.
Among the latest sites targeted are C***spin, Frumzi, Great Win, MyStake, Oh My Spins, RetroBet, The Dog House 2 Slot and Viperwin. Website blocking forms part of a broader enforcement strategy to limit illegal operators in the Australian market.
Since first issuing blocking requests in November 2019, more than 1,500 gambling and affiliate sites have been restricted by ACMA, while over 225 services have exited Australia since 2017. Regulators warn that even polished platforms may lack basic consumer protections, putting users at risk of financial loss.
Last month, ACMA identified six licensed wagering providers it says breached rules designed to protect users registered with the BetStop self-exclusion system. Investigations into Tabcorp, LightningBet, Betfocus, TempleBet, Picklebet and BetChamps found failures including allowing excluded users to open accounts, access services or receive marketing in 2024.
Tabcorp was fined AU$112,680 and must undertake a compliance review, while other operators face corrective measures. The ACMA said the breaches undermine trust in the self-exclusion system and warned providers to strengthen safeguards or face further penalties.
