BETTING CLEAN-UP

Evening Star, Issue 21630, 27 January 1934, Page 22

BETTING CLEAN-UP

NEW ENGLISH CAMPAIGN New measures of a sweeping nature are to be proposed by the Government in the betting and lotteries legislation which it is introducing this season. They include increased penaltes for street betting; complete ban on sweepstakes and lotteries—except small ones run in connection with bazaars, etc.—and bigger penalties; stricter control of racecourses and dog tracks; drastic restrictions on the operations of bookmakers. The bookmakers, wise to the event before it has happened—they recall a public “ hint ” from an M.P. of what was in the Government’s mind—are already taking steps to organise themselves for a strong fight. Each bookmaker is do pay an annual fee of £SO to the Exchequer. No bookmaker is to be allowed to carry on business till he has obtained a certificate from the local Magistrate's Court establishing him as. a fit and proper person to do so. All the members of a bookmaker’s staff 'arc to bo registered. His right to carry on business will be restricted to the premises in which he is registered and to approved racecourses and dog tracks. He will not V e allowed to carry on any type of betting transactions beyond those for which his premises are approved. On the other hand, the Government will propose a relaxation of the law to allow for cash betting by post. Every course or track will be required to obtain a license from the county council or town council in whose area it is situated before betting will be permitted thereon. The dog tote will probably be allowed on certain dog tracks, but racing on those tracks will be limited to ten days a month, and the management of the track must not have any direct financial interest in the totalisator. A board similar to the jockey club will be set up for the purpose of deciding which tracks are to be “approved ” for the use of totes/and another board will ho established to own and operate the totes'.