The Australian division of UK-listed bookies Ladbrokes has scrapped its controversial in-play sports betting app after the country’s communications regulator expressed doubts that the service was legal.

On Thursday, The Australian reported that the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) had written to Ladbrokes, William Hill and Bet365, informing them of its belief that the bookies’ efforts to circumvent the country’s ban on in-play online betting are illegal.

Under Australia’s Interactive Gambling Act 2001, in-play wagers can only be placed over the phone or in-person at a retail betting outlet. Over the past few months, the three bookies have each introduced betting apps that utilize smartphone voice recognition technology to place in-play wagers without making a traditional person-to-person phone call.

The ACMA recently revised its website to stipulate that the apps “do not appear to involve the service provider dealing with customers using a standard telephone service.”