xanadu

I saw the Racing Retro show. It did have some points to make. However you must remember that the show is owned by TAB Ltd who have a vested interest in this debate. As such they only gave half the story. They did not point out any benefits of exchanges but only focused on the bad points and then emphasised these to the point of exaggeration. I did not see anything too wrong with what was said on the show. I was more concerned with what was not said. There is an old saying "There's three sides to every story". If you only hear one side of the story and no other views it can sound very convincing and reasonable. Hear the other side and suddenly it is not so reasonable.

I thought the ARB attitude was very sensible. They said there were 4 criteria that all betting operators should meet and they were working through with Betfair etc to see if the common ground could be reached on the 4 criteria. Sane and sensible stuff.

You say there is a groundswell of all out opposition to exchanges. Where is the evidence for this?????? At the top of this thread we were told that exchanges were finished and the issue had been decided. They were to be banned last week. But nothing happened. So who leaked this info to Max Presnell? And who gained from the leak? Not Betfair.

Read the Financial Review article. Indications there are of no groundswell of all out opposition. You only have to look at most message boards to see punters are not screaming for exchanges to be banned.

I think it is most telling that TABs and Bookies associations are more against exchanges than the ARB. That tells me it is vested commercial interests that are most threatened in this debate. And it is those very interests that profit at the expense of punters.

Mr X,

The entities I was referring to were the W.A. TAB and NSW TAB, definitely not the punters. However, they have some very powerful allies in politicians and are a source of funds to the respective State Govts, who, therefore have a vested interest in this issue. Accordingly, politicians will be lobbied to support the anti-betting exchange cause(pretty powerful allies I am sure you would agree?
I personally am more concerned with the insidious practice of rounding down dividends on the TAB. At the very least, the rounding-down should be to the nearest $0.05 downwards, not the nearest $0.10 downwards. I am currently contemplating whether to prepare a petition to lobby the racing minister on this matter.

Cheers.

Exactly HOW are they going to ban the exchanges????

As Xanadu points out the TABS have strong relationships with their respective State Governments and therefore have political power at that level. The problem is the State Governments, as far as I understand it, have absolutely no power to legislate against a betting company not located in their particular state. All they can do is to make it illegal for the citizens within the state to use the foreign operator (ie. like the existing NSW law) and politely ask the operator to put a message on their site - they cannot force the operator to "block" transactions.

The problem, of course, is that they have absolutely no power to actually police the law (as evidenced by the fact that not a single NSW punter has been prosecuted under the existing law since it was passed). How, exactly, is the NSW Police supposed to find out who is using an offshore gambling operator (assuming they even gave a damn - I suspect they have slightly higher priorities!)?

__________________
"Computers can do that????" - Homer Simpson

It was very convenient for Max Presnell to go on radio last week talking as if it was just about a certainty that Betting Exchanges were about to be made illegal.

I wonder who told him? Knowing of course that he would broadcast it around the country.

There are numerous legal problems involved in drafting any legislation designed to specifically restrict Betting Exchanges without others being caught up in the legislation.

I have heard that drafting legislation could even make it illegal to bet on TABs online!

There are also issues of state rights and trade between states. And it goes on...

[ This Message was edited by: puntz on 2003-08-15 13:20 ]

Anybody see the rider on Betfair markets today?. I don't know how long it's been there but I only noticed it today.
"Users should be aware that they are NOT allowed to bet on this event if they are physically present in NSW"
If the government has made them put that there then what a bunch of 'merchant bankers' our so-called leaders are.
That's rhyming slang for w......!

Typicle ************ Govts whether be state or federal,If it dont suit your MATES get rid of it.Seriously though I think Neil is right if you look under seperation of powers in our constitution they cant do it.
Cheers

I think you'll find that bit about the NSW law has been there for about a month now... and markets are as strong as ever!

brilliant response to the TaskForce report from Betfair can be read here...

http://www.virtualformguide.com/cgi...16taskforce.txt