“S.P.” BETTING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 104, 4 May 1937, Page 4

“S.P.” BETTING

BAN IN QUEENSLAND REMARKABLE RESULTS R,emarkable results have followed the introduction on January 1 of the Queensland Racing Act, which aimed at the suppression of starting-price betting (states the Melbourne Herald's Brisbane correspondent).

Brisbane racing clubs report large increases in attendances and revenue —ranging as high as almost 200 per cent. Twice as many tramway cars are needed to take people to the courses than before the Act was introduced.

The Act provides drastic penalties for persons convicted of starting-price betting. Imprisonment has been substituted for fines. The Act punishes the principals and not only the agents of a betting business. Tipsters are rigorously suppressed. Hotelkeepers are liable to fines of £lOO if startingprice bookmakers are caught on their premises.

On the positive side the Act assisted racing by lowering the Is betting tax to 3d and the 3d tax to Id. The general purpose of the Act was to make betting the preserve of racecourse patrons. Although startingprice continues in Brisbane, its operators’ road has been made much harder. The flagrantly open methods in force before the Act have been stopped and now the chief means of carrying on is by means of futive canvassing of a known clientele. The most noticeable effect of the Act was to clear starting-price bookmakers and bettors out of hotels on racemeeting afternoons, licensees fearing the drastic penalties and probable loss of their livelihood. The totalisator turnover on the Brisbane courses for the first three months of this year aggregated £163,962, against £96,886 for the corresponding three months of last year. The average turnover a meeting was £6070, against £4036. If such figures are maintained the turnover for 1937 will be nearly £250,000 more than last year’s.

The Brisbane Amateur Turf Club estimates the increased attendances at Albion Park meetings at 50 per cent, since the operation of the Racing Act. Figures showing the actual attendances at the principal meetings of the Queensland Turf Club at Ascot show the following percentage increases over the same meetings of last year: Christmas and New Year meetings, 61.1; Australia Day, 108.3; St. Patrick’s Day, 197.4; Easter meeting, 40.5.

Another sign that the Act is assisting race clubs is the large influx of newcomers to the ranks of racecourse bookmakers.