Page 2666 - Week 09 - Thursday, 25 August 1994
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May I say at the outset, Madam Speaker, that I appreciate the in-principle support which has been given to this initiative by the Opposition and I look forward to working with them to see the successful passage of this package of Bills through the chamber. The Bookmakers (Amendment) Bill (No. 2) 1994 forms part of a package of three Bills that will provide for the appropriate regulation and control of betting on sporting and other events in the ACT. I will be introducing two further Bills - the Gaming and Betting (Amendment) Bill (No. 2) 1994 and the Games Wagers and Betting-houses (Amendment) Bill 1994 - which, together with this Bill, will provide for an overall framework for such sports betting activities.
The existing legislative provisions covering bookmakers accepting bets, on other than horse or dog racing events, whilst fielding at a racecourse are inadequate. As a result, betting on sporting and other events has been occurring in an unregulated environment where there is no requirement to maintain appropriate records, the Government does not receive any taxation revenue and the security of wagers accepted is not assured. A regulated sports betting service is available in some form in most Australian States and the Northern Territory. However, it is the Northern Territory that has emerged as the clear Australian leader in the sports betting service, with turnover in 1993-94 reaching some $35m.
I understand that the success of sports betting in the Territory is due mainly to the relatively unrestricted framework established which allows sports bookmakers to offer the betting service on a 24-hour-a-day basis and to accept bets by telephone and facsimile. In the Northern Territory, punters are also able to bet on a wide range of sporting events and other contingencies, such as elections. The sports betting models adopted in other States are less successful, chiefly because of the many restrictive controls in place. As the Northern Territory model confirms, the provision of a high-quality service in concert with appropriate levels of protection for punters is achievable without excessive restrictions. The Bookmakers (Amendment) Bill (No. 2) 1994 will, therefore, provide for a regulatory framework to allow for the sports betting service to operate in a flexible, yet controlled, environment, along the lines of the Northern Territory.
I now pass to the key features of the Bill. The legislation will provide for the control of the sports betting service through the separate licensing of sports betting bookmakers. Only existing licensed bookmakers may apply for a sports betting licence and only a limited number of licences will be issued, as determined by the Minister. Licences will be issued to individuals, syndicates or companies following a selection process. Before being granted a sports betting licence, the bookmaker must satisfy suitability requirements and be provided with guarantee undertaking from the New South Wales Bookmakers Co-operative Society. Bookmakers will be required to pay an application fee and an annual licence fee.
The Bill provides for the effective resolution of disputes in respect of sports betting transactions through the Registrar of Bookmakers and by extending the powers and membership of the existing Bookmakers Licensing Committee. The legislation will allow the Minister to issue directions concerning the events on which bets may be accepted, the rules of betting on those events, the methods by which bets may be transacted, the records to be maintained by the sports bookmakers, the location of a facility to be used for sports betting and procedures in respect of the operation of this sports betting facility.
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