New Betting Regulations Upset Corporate Bookmakers in Australia

As the new betting rules were introduced in Australia, many big-time bookmakers expressed grave disappointment with the new way of gambling.

Gambling news reports that a new betting minimums have been introduced by the Racing New South Wales (NSW), which sounded a cry from the big betting providers. Racing NSW has decided to go easy on TAB fixed-odds “due to the difficulties associated with determining whether cash bet in a retail outlet is a bowler bet placed on behalf of another person"

Operators that provide off-course fixed-odds bets that record a revenue equal to or greater than $5 million now have to rely on punters losing $2,000 on metropolitan races and over $1,000 for non-metropolitan races in NSW.

Concern for the new rules

Australian Wagering Council (AWC) chief executive Chris Downy stressed, “If one of the aims of the policy is to stop bookmakers discriminating against winning punters, it is necessary to ask how that aim will be achieved by excluding the policy's application to cash bets.”

Mobile betting firm Chillbet claimed, “Here we go whingeing poms ... If you don’t like the rule on behalf of all the Australian punters, go home with your bat n ball and destroy the pathetic English racing.”

The AWC believes that a minimum wagering rule, “would be best achieved through a well-developed proposal on the issue being presented to each of the state and Territory licensing authorities charged with the regulation of wagering service operators in Australia.”