S.P. BETTING LAW

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 June 1937, Page 6

S.P. BETTING LAW

QUEENSLAND'S CLAIM

BRISBANE, Juno 7. In less than six months, Queensland has, in the opinion of officials, achieved what was once regarded as the impossible—'the suppression by legislation of illegal betting. Increased' Government revenue from racing, greater aattendances, reduced admission fees, and substantial additions to prize money, have followed. Wireless broadcasting stations have co-operated with the authorities, and give only a bare description of the racing. A rigid enforcement of a most effectively framed Racing Act has solved Queensland’s s.p. betting problems, and brought about the almost total abolition of the betting shop evil. Racing clubs are enjoying unparalleled prosperity, and the Government revenue from racing sources —totalisator and betting tax —has trebled in the first half of the current financial year. If the present totalisator figures are sustained, the 1937 increase will amount to slightly less than £250,000 compared with last year.

ATTENDANCES INCREASE. Since November, at Brisbane racecourses have shown an average improvement of about 101 per cent. At one important fixture the increase was 197.4 per cent., and the corresponding “boost” in turf finances has enabled the clubs to prune admission charges and' the costs of racing generally, and. make substantial additions to prize money. Stakes at present exceed even those of the peak season of 1920-30, and the Queensland Turf Club is so confident that the prosperity will be maintained that it has committed itself to heavy increases to classical events for two years ahead. Before the introduction of the Racing Act, there were 800 established betting shops throughout the State to say nothing of thousands of s.p. men operating in hotels and at street corners. Only about 50 remain, and they have been able to function only by the facilities afforded them by . the Telephone Department of the Post Office. Their business is on only a small scale, and gradually they arc being weeded out by ’raiding squads. Hotel betting is now non-existent. The Racing Act imposed a heavy responsibility on hotel proprietors, and where this has failed to make them keep their premises free of the evil, a constant threat of liquor law enforcement has succeeded. The Act also recruited as allies in the war against s.p. betting owners or agents of city office buildings, by making them liable to prosecution if illegal operators were found in their premises. Lack of knoweldge is no excuse. The onus of proof of innocence has been placed on them. This measure has kept the city proper reasonably free of s.p. men, who have had to retreat to their private homes. Wireless stations engaged in the broadcast of races have co-operated with the authorities, and now only a bare description is broadcast from the courses. Detailed information as to betting and prices is given only at the conclusion of the meeting. Press agencies disseminating essential information from the courses to betting shops all over the State were suppressed by the Act under penalty of a £lOOO fine, with or. without imprisonment for one year. This cut out at the roots those facilities by which betting shops prospered for so many years. Bettors, refusing to do business in the dark, have been driven to the racecourse.

Before the Racing Act there were only nine bookmakers on the flat at Ascot and 40 in the St. Leger. Now there are 60 on the flat and 65 in the St. Leger. Their ranks ape' increasing so rapidly that the Q.T.C. was requested last week to restrict any further issue of licenses. A great many of the newcomers this year have been recruited from the ranks of former s.p. men.