Industry “bigger than Hollywood”
A new report says in-play wagers in Australia could be authorized via a mobile application from bookmaker William Hill.
As the country’s Media and Communications Authority and national law enforcement review the legality of online in-play betting on sports, some bookmakers have reportedly exploited “loopholes” in the law to allow wagering through smartphones.
According to Focus Gaming News, Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said the betting industry is “already bigger than Hollywood; and while the film industry has benefitted from a number of programs to entice international companies to Australia, the games industry has struggled on with almost no assistance.”
But Assistant Minister for Social Services Alan Tudge said the revision could lead to more compromised matches like those recently reported in the Sydney Morning Herald. According to the report, a joint investigation by the BBC and Buzzfeed alleged that authorities ignored “repeated warnings” about 16 elite tennis players, eight of whom were schedule to play in the 2016 Australian Open championship in January. That month, former pro tennis player Nick Lindahl pleaded guilty to fixing a match at the Toowoomba Futures Six tournament in 2013.
The federal government has launched an inquiry into offshore online betting operations spearheaded by former New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell. It will help decide if Australian betting companies should be able to take in-play bets online, which is now prohibited except by phone or at TABs, though some players go to offshore sites to place their bets.
Regulators, sporting groups, and the Australian Sports Commission agree that tighter regulations could safely open the door to in-play bets inside the country.
