FOOTBALL GAMBLING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22351, 24 February 1936, Page 9

FOOTBALL GAMBLING

POOLS IN BRITAIN MOVE TO STOP PRACTICE LEAGUE'S ACTION CRITICISED (Received February 23, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Feb. 22 At a meeting in Manchester of the directors of the Football League clubs, called to consider the attitude of the League to pool betting on League matches, it was decided to ask the Government to introduce legislation to stop the pools. Representations for the suppression of the pools were made recently to the Home Secretary by religious and social workers, who stated that betting of this kind had become a grave evil. It is unofficially stated that in order to circumvent betting pools, the League decided to cancel all its fixtures after this week-end and only to announce them on the Thursday prior to the Saturday matches. The Scottish League is not following suit this season. The Sun-Herald news service says the League's decision threatens one of the most popular forms of national amusement. Ten million men, women and children, or one quarter of Britain's population, are participating in a turnover estimated at £30,000,000, and prizes as high as £20,000 for an outlay of one penny. A vast industry has been created which employs thousands of people, and the additional revenue for the Post Office is estimated at £62,000 from stamps on 10,000,000 letters a week, excluding the poundage on money orders.