Leaked Files Reveal Former Australian Minister Co-Founded Caribbean Online Casino

Leaked documents from the Curaçao Gaming Authority have revealed that former Australian federal minister De-Anne Kelly co-founded and held a major stake in LuckyBet, an offshore online casino registered in the Caribbean. Decades prior to her involvement with the platform, Kelly voted in favor of Australia's Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) 2001, which prohibited offshore online casinos from offering services to Australian residents.

Kelly, who represented the National Party as the MP for Dawson from 1996 to 2007 and served 15 months as minister for veterans' affairs, spoke in support of the 2001 legislation, arguing that gambling sites were exploiting vulnerable members of society. However, leaked files made public by German activist Lilith Wittmann show Kelly was listed as a major shareholder and chief compliance officer in a March 2023 business plan submitted to Curaçao regulators. Staff at the Caribbean regulator noted her dual role as a compliance officer and shareholder posed a conflict.

Regulatory Warnings and Ownership Changes

LuckyBet was co-founded by Kelly and her son, Ian Parke, who acted as the casino's director and co-owner. At the time of LuckyBet's licence application in March 2024, Kelly was serving on Australia's Administrative Appeals Tribunal, though she departed the position before the licence was approved. Kelly and other investors initially held their stakes via LBC Enterprises Australia Pty Ltd, utilizing Kelly's firm, Calliope Investments. Corporate filings show LBC Enterprises was removed as a shareholder on March 6, 2025, leaving a firm controlled solely by Parke.

In August 2025, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) launched an investigation into LuckyBet following a consumer complaint. In September 2025, ACMA issued a formal warning to the operator for providing illegal gambling services to Australian residents while unlicensed locally. ACMA noted at the time that its available information indicated LuckyBet's owners were registered strictly in Curaçao, but the agency confirmed it will evaluate the new details concerning potential Australian ownership links.

Data Leak and Platform Status

Although a proposed sale of LuckyBet to Apple iSports collapsed in mid-2025 and the Curaçao Gaming Authority revoked LuckyBet's licence at the end of 2025, the casino's website remains online. The records exposing Kelly's link to the operator were part of a wider dataset obtained and published online by Wittmann, who targeted the regulator's systems during an investigation into unlicensed gambling in Europe. The Curaçao Gaming Authority stated it is investigating the data breach. Neither Kelly nor Parke responded to requests for comment.