Personal information in Tasmania’s gambling exclusion database has been accessed by an unauthorised person, the Department of Treasury and Finance has revealed.
The breach is understood to have occurred during the weekend of March 28-29, with an unknown individual gaining visual access to information about people excluded from gambling in the state.
A spokesperson from the Treasury and Finance Department said while there was no evidence that data was downloaded, affected individuals are being contacted directly.
“People who have had their information accessed are being contacted by Treasury to inform them of the breach and provide necessary supports,” the spokesperson said.
“Treasury continues to focus on the individuals affected and ensuring no further harm occurs.”
“IDCARE, Australia’s national identity and cyber support community service, has been engaged”
The database, which provides information to venue operators, Gamblers Help service providers and the Liquor and Gaming Branch about excluded persons, was temporarily taken offline until security could be assured.
Treasury confirmed the database has now been “secured, access limited, and investigations are continuing” and the exclusion scheme will resume normal operations.
The spokesperson warned those affected to remain vigilant against potential scam attempts.
“Stay alert for fake emails, letters, phone calls, and SMS messages,” they said.
This incident follows a more significant breach in April 2023 when Russian hackers targeted the government-contracted data service GoAnywhere, compromising the data of approximately 150,000 Tasmanians.
Anyone concerned about the data breach can contact Treasury’s Liquor and Gaming Branch hotline on (03) 6166 4040 (select option 3) or email [email protected].
