Australian racing industry calls for complete in-play ban

The Australian horseracing industry has called for a complete ban on in-play wagering as the federal government prepares to release its highly-anticipated response to its online gambling review

Speaking to The Australian newspaper, Racing Australia chief executive Peter McGauran said a comprehensive ban should be enforced across all sports and also apply to live betting via telephone which is currently legal.

“We feel so strongly about the threat that in-play betting poses to integrity that we believe that the loophole in the Interactive Gambling Act that allows in-play betting on races should be closed,” McGauran said.

“It’s an integrity and an economic issue,” he added. “There would be significant migration of revenue from traditional racing wag?­ering to sports betting to in-play, which is mindless repetitions in front of a big screen that for many is reminiscent of poker machines.”

The federal government’s review, which reported to the Minister of Social Services and the Minister of Communications in two weeks’ time, was first announced on 7 September by the former minister Scott Morrison and led by the former premier of New South Wales Barry O’Farrell.

The government’s response to the report is expected to be released within the next few weeks by Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Alan Tudge.