BAN ON LOTTERIES

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 75, 29 March 1934, Page 9

BAN ON LOTTERIES

BRITISH BETTING BILL

DRASTIC PROHIBITIONS

HEAVY PENALTIES

(BrUlsb Official Wireless.) BUGBY, March 27. The new Betting and Lotteries Bill was read for the first time in the House of Lords this evening. The purpose of the measure is to amend the law with respect to betting on tracks where sporting events take place, including the law -with respect to totalisators on racecourses; to .authorise, subject to restrictions, the establishment of totalisators on dog racecourses; to prohibit betting on. tho tracks with young persons under 17 and pari-mutuel betting except by author : ised totalisators; and to amend the law regarding lotteries. OFFENCE AGAINST THE LAW. The second half of the Bill deals entirely with lotteries and prize competitions, and is of a drastic character. Every person, will be guilty of an offence ■who, in. connection with any lottery, either in Great Britain, or elsewhere, prints, sells, distributes, offers, or advertises or has in his possession for sale or distribution any lottery tickets; prints, publishes, or distributes, or, has in his possession for distribution, any advertisement of a lottery, any matter descriptive of the drawing or intended drawing of a lottery or any list, whether complete" or not, of prize-winners or winning tickets in a- lottery,- or any other matter relating to a lottery being matter of a nature calculated to act as an inducement to persons to participate in that lottery or in other lotteries. It is also made an offence to bring or invite any person to send lottery tickets or advertisements into Great Britain for sale or distribution; to send or attempt to send money, received or any document recording sale. or distribution or the identity of the liolder of any lottery ticket out of Great Britain, or to use any premises or permit their use for purposes in. connection with a lottery. Exemption is given to small lotteries incidental to certain entertainments where the prizes are not in money, and are not the only inducement to persons' to attend the entertainment. Private lotteries conducted by the members of one society established for other than gaming and among persons who work or live on the same premises are also exempted. . " , NEWSPAPER COMPETITIONS. The Bill also contains restrictions on prize competitions conducted by newspapers or in connection with-businesses, success in which'does not depend to a substantial degree on skill: Offenders under the measure would be liable on conviction to heavy fines on a first offence, and to imprisonment for subsequent offences.