News

Australian company defends betting kiosks

October 25, 2011

TABCORP, an Australian gambling and entertainment company, is prepared to protect its betting kiosks deployed throughout pubs and clubs across New South Wales and Victoria in Australia by keeping Irish betting giant Paddy Power in court for as long as possible.

Sportsbet, owned by Paddy Power, has installed kiosks in pubs connected to a Northern Territory-based betting website via the internet.The Victorian government and Tabcorp have challenged the legality of those kiosks, however, but last month lost a Federal Court case against the Eureka Stockade Hotel in Ballarat, which operated a Sportsbet ''Betbox'' betting kiosk.

The Federal Court found that Victorian legislation banning the establishment of such kiosks was against the constitution, which permits free trade between the states and territories, according to a story in The Sydney Morning Herald. Sportsbet is considering a challenge to similar laws banning unlicensed betting kiosks in NSW.

From the story:

Tabcorp chief executive David Attenborough told shareholders at the annual meeting yesterday that Tabcorp ''believes it is important to defend its exclusive retail licenses."

''I should also point out that in NSW the Unlawful Gaming Act makes the installation of such internet betting terminals illegal,'' he said. ''While these legal proceedings take place - and they may play out over a long period of time - Tabcorp is continuing to invest in our retail network.''

Attenborough said Tabcorp would roll out new low-cost betting kiosks in venues across NSW and Victoria in the next year.

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