OFF-COURSE BETTING

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28983, 26 August 1959, Page 4

OFF-COURSE BETTING

Introduction In Victoria

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, August 25. The Victorian State Government will legislate soon to legalise off-course betting in Victoria. Tile State Parliamentary Liberal and Country party today approved in principle a plan of off-course offices and agencies of | a totalisator board to accept credits for betting. | The Premier, Mr Henry Bolte, [said there would be no off-coursy totalisators and "nothing approaching a betting shop or a j board agency for receiving cash bets was contemplated.” Mr Bolte emphasised that, if [Parliament approved the scheme. [ the Government would clamp [down on illegal off-course betting Iby introducing “very severe penalties for this offence.” [ Legislation to authorise the scheme will be presented to Parliament in the new session to open on Tuesday. Betting will be controlled by a totalisator board, to consist of I representatives of the metrojpolitan and country racing clubs, the Trotting Control Board and [country trotting clubs. Mr Bolte said the plan provided for bets to be received by telephone, post, and perhaps telegram—but an investor must first establish credit at the board’s offices or agencies. These would be open to receive credits only when the principal race meetings were not being held. Mr Bolte said the plan contemplated that investments made off-course would be included with money lodged with the racecourse totalisator. This would mean there would be only one totalisator operating in Victoria with similar dividends for oncourse and off-course bets. Asked the proposed time limit for placing a telephone bet before a race, he said ‘‘it would have to be worked out by the totalisator board.”