Andy McCue, the new head of Paddy Power and Australia’s Sportsbet, says he will push for changes in Australia’s Interactive Gambling Act to allow for online in-paly betting.
McCue—speaking to the Australian Financial Review Weekend—says he’d like to see the changes in place before 2015 when the country hosts the Cricket World Cup and the AFC Asian Cup.
“One of the clear observations from the Australian market is you can’t bet in-play digitally, which is something of an oddity,” he said.
In-play betting allows for betting on the outcome of a match or sporting event after it has begun. It is banned online in Australia, but gamblers can place such bets by phone or in person at betting agencies.
A review in 2013 into the Interactive Gambling Act recommended that the inconsistency be changed, but no action was ever taken.
Opponents of the idea, however, say that the speed in which online bets can be made contributes to problem gambling. Having to actually take the time to make a phone call can slow down betting, advocates say.
