Skip to main content

NSW govt just can't stop fiddling with a supposedly free market

From a Betfair Australia email to affiliates:

On 3rd December 2008 the NSW state government passed an Amending Act for the advertising laws in New South Wales, the Amending Act enables all Australian licensed wagering operators to legally advertise in NSW. The Act included a regulation whereby licensed wagering operators are not permitted to publish gambling advertising that “offers any credit, voucher or reward as an inducement to participate, or to participate frequently, in any gambling activity (including as an inducement to open a betting account)”.

In essence, this means that by law Betfair can no longer advertise free bet offers to residents of NSW. It should be noted that the legal onus is on Betfair to comply and that there is no legal risk on the affiliate for displaying a Betfair free bet advertisement to a NSW resident. Additionally, it is the advertising of, rather than the crediting of, a free bet which is now illegal in NSW....

------

If this restriction applies to all gambling operators, namely those pesky gaming machines which ruin families (approx 95% of problem gambling cases in Australia come from either poker (fruit/slot) machines or casinos, not sports betting), then this would be a justifiable social policy. But it's not. It's just another level of interference to protect their baby, the TAB, which has the legislated monopoly on off-course betting outlets in NSW. Once upon a time the TAB was a government agency. Now it is privatised, answering first and foremost to its shareholders....

So why do they deserve one iota of protection??
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Thanks for your comments, but if you're a spammer, you've just wasted your time - it won't get posted.

Popular posts from this blog

It's all gone Pete Tong at Betfair!

The Christmas Hurdle from Leopardstown, a good Grade 2 race during the holiday period. But now it will go into history as the race which brought Betfair down. Over £21m at odds of 29 available on Voler La Vedette in-running - that's a potential liability of over £500m. You might think that's a bit suspicious, something's fishy, especially with the horse starting at a Betfair SP of 2.96. Well, this wasn't a horse being stopped by a jockey either - the bloody horse won! Look at what was matched at 29. Split that in half and multiply by 28 for the actual liability for the layer(s). (Matched amounts always shown as double the backers' stake, never counts the layers' risk). There's no way a Betfair client would have £600m+ in their account. Maybe £20 or even £50m from the massive syndicates who regard(ed) Betfair as safer than any bank, but not £600m. So the error has to be something technical. However, rumour has it, a helpdesk reply (not gospel, natur
14 comments
Read more

lay the field - my favourite racing strategy

Dabbling with laying the field in-running at various prices today, not just one price, but several in the same race. Got several matched in the previous race at Brighton, then this race came along at Nottingham. Such a long straight at Nottingham makes punters often over-react and think the finish line is closer than it actually is. As you can see by the number of bets matched, there was plenty of volatility in this in-play market. It's rare you'll get a complete wipe-out with one horse getting matched at all levels, but it can happen, so don't give yourself too much risk...
33 comments
Read more

Wimbledon preview - women

Unfortunately this year I don't have the time to write comprehensive Slam previews anymore so I'll sum this one up pretty quickly - it's all about Serena. 1 - Serena Williams. In incredible form. Since bombing out in R1 of the French Open last year, she has lost just three times - to Kerber (Cincinnati QF), to Stephens (Aus Open QF) and to Azarenka (Doha final). She has won three of the last four Wimbledon finals plus the Olympic gold last year where she dropped just 17 games in six rounds, against opponents which included four former world #1s. All that considered though, I can't have her at 1/2 (1.50) on Betfair. She just has to be opposed. I can't put a finger on who is going to beat her, but I have to side with her prospective opponents. If you want a smokey to put some small change on, try Maria Kirilenko. Her record in the Slam isn't so great but it has been improving - a best result of R4 last year beaten by finalist Radwanska 7-5 in the third, and
Post a Comment
Read more