Sport is made for betting

There's no denying that Australia is a nanny state now. Political correctness, occupational health & safety and ambulance-chasing lawyers have changed the fabric of society, almost entirely for the poorer. A couple of years ago, a constitutional challenge by corporate bookmakers and Betfair threw out the age-old ban on bookmakers advertising in states other than the one they were licensed in. It defied the constitutional notion of free trade across state borders which every other industry had benefitted from since federation in 1901. But the nanny state mentality fought back in order to protect their once state-owned monopoly TABs, with the banning of incentives for free bets - standard marketing practice anywhere else in the world. Bookies charged for bet offers CHARGES have been laid against three bookmakers just four days out from the biggest event of the Spring Carnival. The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulaion has laid charges against three bookmaker firms ove...

Snippets from the Aus financial wires.. Tabcorp share assessment Tabcorp's only NT wagering arm, Luxbet, set up to take on the likes of Centrebet and Sportsbet, isn't yet making money and the win rates aren't where they should be. But Luxbet has accrued 23,000 customers and Funke Kupper claims its brand recognition is up there with the likes of Centrebet. Funke Kupper is taking a “fight them on the beaches” approach to customer retention, especially in wagering. “It's really important we stand in the market place,” he declares. “We will take people on, even though it's not necessarily cheap for us.” The rumours were that Luxbet was set up with bottomless pockets in a concerted effort to take market share away from the likes of Centrebet, Sportingbet, Sportsbet, so that backs up the theory. Tote Tasmania may sell for A$300m next month Four companies -- Tabcorp Holdings Ltd., Tatts Group Ltd., U.K.-based Ladbrokes Plc and Greece’s Intralot SA -- are on the short-list ...

Warrnambool has to be one of the best racing carnivals (festivals for UK punters) in the world. About three hours south-west of Melbourne, the city of about 30,000 people more than doubles in size for three days of racing. It's also Australia's best mix of jumps and flat racing with the Grand Annual Steeplechase and the Galleywood Hurdle providing the spectacle with the Wangoom Handicap (feature sprint) and the Warrnambool Cup the flat features. May Racing carnival cashed-up As the battle for sponsors gets tougher in the current economic climate, betting firms have been stepping in since the archaic and restrictive sponsorship laws were rescinded. This time it is Tabcorp and Luxbet putting their name up in lights. Meanwhile in NSW, the Grafton carnival. another great country race week, is missing a sponsor for the Ramornie Handicap. But no bookmaker can step in because of a trade restrictive agreement between Racing NSW and Tabcorp. CRJC facing Ramornie crisis Let's see if ...