CONTROLLING BETTING.

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 83, 8 April 1922, Page 9

CONTROLLING BETTING.

(Published by Arrangement.)

A REASONABLE PETITION.

It is an established fact that the wager-i ing instinct is inborn in human nature, j and that properly regulated it does no] appreciable harm. Gambling is not confined to the Turf or to games of chance; it operates in every phase of life. ' Our Gaming\ Laws, as far as they| apply to racing, are inconsistent; inas-j much as they discriminate between richl; and poor, and afford a monopoly to thaj extent of preventing competition with i thG totalisator. -This is most unfair toj ' the racegoers, particularly to- those' of.i moderate means, who enjoy this form oft sport and recreation.

Either betting should be prohibited ort the racecourse, and off, or some means of j control ■ should be devised which would ' be more effective than the present system.

The present Gaming Law has suppressed reputable men operating as bookmakers, who had their reputation placed, at stake, and has raised a most undesirable form of secret 'betting : i\ shops, offices, and factories.

Undoubtedly there is a sphere for the reputable bookmaker. It was possible in the old days for a sportsman of moderate means to transact beta which were within his means, and he was not forced to spend 10f or SI, which he could not afford, in backing a horse. Properly controlled, the bookmaker would be undoubtedly a useful member of society. Were the Government, to legalise fi6 and 'proper persons as bookmakers, approved by the Racing Conference and the Police, it would increase its revenue by about £100,000 from licenses, and tha Racing Clubs would benefit by an addition to their revenue, ml payment for permits granted to operate on their courses.

. A petition, praying the Government! to make the avocation of the bookmaker Jeffal, is at present beiiif? widely circulated throughout New Zealand. Its claims are so reasonably and its intentions so honest, that it deserves the signature of. every sportsman through' put the country.—A'dvt.