Sportsbet joins Aus in-play rush

Sportsbet has launched a mobile-only in-play wagering product which it says is fully compliant with the country’s restrictive online gambling laws.

The Paddy Power-owned firm’s Bet Live feature is available solely through the Sportsbet mobile app and, unlike similar in-play products offered by rival operators, uses a public switched telephone network to process bets.

Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, Australian betting operators are prohibited from accepting online bets during live sports events and can only accept in-play wagers placed in person or over the phone.

To place a bet, customers are required to click ‘call’ on the Bet Live page, an action which generates a telephone call to the operator. Customers will then be prompted to enter their stake before being asked to confirm the wager.

“Live betting with Sportsbet operates differently to other wagering providers’ products by using a standard telephone call to place a bet – the product will therefore only be available on mobile,” Ben Sleep, Sportsbet CFO and regulatory affairs director, said.

“The Interactive Gambling Act explicitly allows for live bets to be placed in this fashion,” he added.

Operators such as William Hill and Ladbrokes offer live betting services which enable customers to place bets online so long as their device’s microphone has been activated.

Rival operators questioned William Hill’s In-Play product, however, Australian Federal Police recently said it would not be investigating the operator for offering the service, a decision William Hill said validated the product.

The launch of Bet Live comes as support for legalising online in-play wagering in Australia appears to be gaining momentum after a leading professional sports body recently joined Sportsbet in calling for the government to change the current laws.

The government’s response into a recent federal review into Australia’s gambling market is expected to be released as early as the end of January.