Any person subject to the Australian rules of racing who is suspected of placing a bet with an illegal operator can now have his or her phone and computer seized in a fresh assault on brazen offshore wagering operators.

Racing Australia, the lawmaking body for the country’s thoroughbred racing industry, has rushed in laws to stamp out the practice, which is thought to leak hundreds of million of dollars in bets to unsolicited gambling companies, predominantly stemming from Asia.

It means any person bound by the rules, such as trainers and owners, can have their electric communication devices forensically imaged. And they face stiff penalties for gambling with companies who don’t have licensing agreements with Australian racing states.

Racing Victoria has previously implemented a local rule to a similar effect, but Racing Australia has now broadened the powers to include every principal racing authority in the country.