THE BATTLE IS ON

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1935, Page 12

THE BATTLE IS ON

TOTE. V. BOOKMAKERS ENGLISH DEVELOPMENTS. Office, or starting price,, bookmakers are organising a big fight against the attempt which is, being made by the Racecourse Batting Control Board—the statutory body responsible for the operation of the totalisator on racecourses—to obtain full control of the “away betting market. The board's scheme |8 to abolish starting-price betting in its present form by making office bookmakers “agents” of the writes the racing correspondent (in July) or the London Evening Standard. The Racecourse Betting Control Board have never given up hope of seeing the totalisator a flourishing success. Almost fro mthe start it was realised that this could only be accomplished by harnessing the flood of betting away from the course, known a? “S,p.” betting. It has been calculated that of all the betting in Great Britain, 75 per cent, takes place away from the course. As the racecourse bookmakers continue to hold their own, the only alternative is for the controllers of tfie totalisator to invade the country. Two or three years a S° a pl? n wa? conceived with view to prominent bookmakers acting as agents for the totalisator. The idea was turned down, but it was not abandoned by the board. It was merely shelved until a more opportune time. Meanwhile credit batting °n the totalise tor has made great strides. The profit shown last year was dye almost entirety to the increase in business done by the totalisator’? credit agents. Offices have been opened in all the big towns and an elaborate system arranged so that last minute bets from every P»rt of the country can be transmitted to the course and be placed on the totalisator. This credit agency receives a percentage on all such bets. They also have offices on every racecourse. It is still thought that bookmakers can be of assistance. The bait that is being dangled before their eyes is no less than the slogan: “All prizes and no blanks.” The office bookmaker has his winning and losing days. Under the totalisator scheme he would receive a percentage on all bets if he persuaded his clients to accept totalisator prices instead of the starting prices. In other words he would no longer be a bookmaker but merely an agent for the totalisator.

If that could be accomplished it would be a very fine thing for the totalisator. The figures would jump up. But the bookmakers are organised against this sort of thing; they are now technically under one banner; they have their own monthly publication and meetings are held in every district at regular inters vals. They intend to fight the totalisator to the last ditch. The fight is on, The public are going to be interested in the outcome.