Bill to Legalise Off-course Betting Is Now Being Drafted

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27079, 13 May 1949, Page 5

Bill to Legalise Off-course Betting Is Now Being Drafted

SPORTING

Legislation enabling off-course betting to be transacted through the totalisators, approved by the national referendum on March 9, is now being drafted, and it will be presented to Parliament in its final session, beginning next month. As the Gaming Act will probably be redrafted to give effect to the other recommendations of the Royal Commission on Gaming and Racing, the Bill is certain to be both long and complex. In line with the Commission’s recommendations, the main one of which has been emphatically endorsed by the electors, the Bill is expected to legalise:(1) Doubles totalisators. (2) Telegraphing and posting of totalisator investments. (3) Newspaper tipping of race results. (4) Publication by newspapers of dividends. The Government will doubtless include in the Bill provision for the removal of the present limit of three on the number of totalisators operated by any club holding a licence to use a totalisator machine. This will be necessary not only because of the handling of future offcourse betting, but because of the larger sums handled on the course since the limitation on the.number of machines was made 68 years ago. The Bill may also give an additional 19 days for trotting meetings each year in New Zealand Official recognition may be given in the Bill to the Racing Advisory Board, the suggestion to set up which has not found favour with the racing authorities. The commission said that the board would be initially constituted by Ministerial action. If constituted, the board will have the functions of an adviser to the Minister. No legislative authority is required for the introduction of 5s totalisators.