Racing Australia announces new illegal online betting clampdown
Phones and computers can be confiscated under new rules
Racing Australia has announced proposals that would let the body confiscate laptops or mobile phones from people in the racing industry who are betting online with illegal international betting sites.
The regulatory body, which governs the Australian thoroughbred racing industry, plans to implement these new laws with effect from 1 August.
In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Racing Australia CEO, Barry O’Farrell said: “This is simply about prohibiting participants betting with non-approved offshore wagering operators because it’s a significant risk for the industry,”
Under the proposed measures, any individual bound by the rules, including trainers, owners and jockeys could have their electronic devices seized and forensically imaged.
Individuals found to be gambling illegally will face still penalties for using sites which are not directly licensed in Australia.
O’Farrell added: “The stewards have no visibility as to who is betting with them and therefore have no powers to acquire the production of a customer’s betting records. That obviously limits the ability of the racing integrity agencies to inquire and investigate relating to those matters.”
Local horseracing body Racing Victoria has had similar rules in place since 2004.
The new rules extend the powers of Racing Australia to cover every racing authority in Australia.
Illegal online gambling is prevalent throughout the Australian horseracing fraternity, with punters often being given better odds through unlicensed offshore operators, due to the absence of mandatory race fees in place to support the Australian horseracing industry.
The value of the offshore betting market in Australia is estimated to rise to $900m by 2020.