IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer, TERRY BUTTS, applauds the proposal by Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges to step up the fight against illegal gambling.
He calls on the Australian Government to stop sitting on its hands on the issue and the Australian Racing Board to stop passing the bucks to the States.
Here is the Butts’ column:
STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO STAMP OUT ILLEGAL BETTING
THE proposal by Asian Racing Conference Chairman and Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, to establish a regional task force to develop an Anti-Illegal Betting Strategy, is an overwhelmingly positive step in the right direction, wrote Hans Ebert on his acclaimed international website Racing Bitch last week.
It is a MUST for every politician and racing administrator in this country to at least consider the recommendations.
Engelbrecht-Bresges warned that “individual nations acting alone will not be able to stem the tide”, and that “this will be a multi-pronged strategy incorporating research and intelligence, media, government submissions, links with law enforcement agencies and identification of key influencers.
“Racing jurisdictions can no longer choose to play the role of bystanders and expect other agencies to shoulder responsibilities for dealing with the twin problems of the impacts of off-shore illegal betting operators, and corruption and race fixing. They enjoy a symbiotic relationship. One trail inevitably leads to the other.
“This holistic approach to addressing the problem, one which transcends the narrow boundary of racing, and has, in recent times, morphed into something akin to a ‘super virus’ affecting every popular competitive sport which attracts wagering and offers substantial, and at times, grossly excessive financial rewards for sustained elite performance, is attracting the attention and gathering support among many key decision-makers and respected public opinion influencers in the community”.
WAKE-UP CALL FOR GOVERNMENT WHICH CONTINUES TO DRAG ITS FEET
IT should be accepted as a wake-up call, to this Government which has dragged its feet on the issue for too long.
Our Government completely changed the betting landscape of this country by licensing Betfair and other UK-based corporate raiders against solid advice to the contrary, and without proper consultation.
Then the pollies sat back and watched these unwanted overseas corporates wreak havoc – pretty much like the cane toads did to the sugar industry in North Queensland.
And quite frankly, to date, the Government has done nothing to rectify its costly and damaging mistake.
Now is the chance.I
AUSTRALIAN RACING BOARD PASSED BUCK ON THE ISSUE TO THE STATES
THE Australian Racing Board, known for its often lackadaisical approach and attitude to crucial issues, however had this to say months ago when welcoming an announcement by the Federal Government of the new Illegal Offshore Wagering Working Group.
“The problem of illegal offshore bookmakers has long been recognised, but the Commonwealth has previously refused to become involved on the basis that racing is a State-based industry.
“However, only the Commonwealth has the constitutional powers to address offshore wagering and the states have been floundering for years for a solution.
“It is in the interests of the wider community that offshore wagering be controlled and regulated to the same standards as apply to Australian-based wagering operators," ARB’s chief Mr McGauran so rightly concluded.
But what has happened?
Nothing!
Except that the corporates have got bigger and the triads and their unwelcome overseas connections have muscled their way on to our racetracks and sporting arenas creating the chaos mentioned earlier by the HK racing supremo.
AIEW
REVIEW DELIVERED BUT IT IS STILL ‘OPEN SLATHER’ IN AUSTRALIA
IN September last year Minister for Social Services, Scott Morrison, announced a review of illegal offshore wagering, delivering on the Coalition Government’s election commitment to investigate methods of strengthening enforcement and ensuring Australians are protected from illegal online wagering operators.
“Online gambling is a $1.6 billion dollar business in Australia with sixty percent of this revenue going offshore to more than 2,000 sites beyond the reach of our regulators and tax collectors,” Minister Morrison said.
“Unlike Australia’s licensed operators, overseas agencies don’t contribute product fees to racing and sporting bodies, do not comply with Australia’s legal system and are not obligated to monitor and report suspicious betting activity.
“Illegal offshore wagering also leaves Australian punters without protection for payouts on their winnings.
“It is critical that we undertake a serious review of the impact of these illegal offshore operations on Australian consumers as well as our racing and sports industries and identify ways in which we can work to curb these impacts.
“In Britain, it is an offence to conduct any business for negotiating, receiving or transmitting bets with an overseas bookmaker, or to advertise such services.
“In France, legislation bans offshore gambling operations from advertising their services and accepting bets,’ he said.
Australia? Well its open slather.
So Mr Morrison:
What are we waiting for?
GIVE US A NATIONAL BOARD AND A NATIONAL TOTE WITH MORE BALLS!
AND when Government finally gets around to taxing out the corporates (a hefty spike in turnover tax will do the trick) it might consider the necessity of a National Racing Board –as well as a national tote, of course.
Because what was allowed to happen last Saturday when Sapphire (NSW) got preference over Caulfield on the national SKY network was a total and shameful disgrace.
And what the big southern dinosaurs are doing to UBET and its customers in Queensland is even worse.
Is there a takeover in the wind?
Are events of last week just part of the big squeeze?
U-bet-cha!
FINALLY we again ask the question.
Why are the overseas conglomerates banned from operating in Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore the recognised leaders of racing and betting turnover in the world?
COLUMN COURTESY OF TERRY BUTTS AND THE NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, one of Australia's leading rural newspapers.
TERRY BUTTS can be contacted by e-mailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
