BETTING BILL

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1938, Page 6

BETTING BILL

BOOKMAKERS AND PRESS. SUGGESTED RESTRICTIONS. LONDON, . June 1. English bookmakers are facetiously—but not, perhaps altogether fearlessly —laying long odds that Air A. (P. Herbert. Independent AI.P. for Oxford Unitersity, author, barrister-at-law and a member of the staff of “Punch,” will not bring off a “double” in Parliament by following his divorce reform triumph with ‘his Betting and Bookmakers Bill. I This hill, shortly to be read a second time, has disturbed the racing world jof England. Generally speaking, it is admitted to be “good in parts,” hut it is also considered that it requires very careful amendment in certain sections. Bookmakers, pool promoters, tho totalisator, newspaper proprietors, and the public at large arc all involved in the measures. Drastic Readjustments involved. U If the hill passes in its present form, the whole vast racing industry will ; have to make drastic readjustments. In I some respects the bill follows the Royal ! Commission’s .)report on betting. Its object is to do. away with “certain j abuses,” to provide for the registration and regulation of bookmakers, and to limit public inducements to betting. I It is proposed that no person shall conduct the business of a bookmaker unless he is registered, and except ou a race track or at a registered office. The chief officer of police in every police area would he required to keep a register of bookmakers, whose residences or registered offices, were situated in that area. Certificates of eligi- [ hility would be issued by the petty sessional Courts, and on presenting a certificate and paying a fee of ss, a bookmaker would be entitled to he registered by the chief officer of police.

j Except a race track or 11 newspaper’ ribt wholly or mainly dej voted to racing matters, the publication of tips would ‘be made unlawful. I Regulation of Football Pools. J Except upon a race track the offer for sale of tips would also be unlawful and “when any newspaper contains tips or forecast of sporting events,” this fact shall not lie advertised, j It is further proposed that football pools shall cease to exist in their present form, and their promoters shall he called upon to conduct the business as bookmakers on a cash basis at fixed odds: More than £500,000 was spent in advertising football pools in 1037-38, and £50,000 was spent by football tipsters in advertising.

It is proposed that registered bookmakers shall be permitted to carry on their business by personal dealings or likewise-’; on fatty race- track, by-post, telephone but not otherwise; or afcCan office registered as a cash bet deposit office, where a “letterbox attach&pto an exterior wall of the Aoffice or of the building in which such office is situated,” may be utilised for receiving these cash bets.

It is stipulated that the office at which bets are to be deposited should be not within 50 yards'; of a church, chapel, school or employment exhange.