IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer, TERRY BUTTS, reports on a court action in the North Territory where the ACCC is suing gambling giant Bet365.
It involves alleged misleading representations of free bets and the outcome will be eagerly awaited by punters across Australia who have had a gutful of the corporate bookmakers.
Here is the Butts’ column:
ACCC SUES BET365 ALLEGING PUNTERS ARE BEING ‘MISLED’ ON FREE BETS OFFERS
GAMBLING giant Bet365 is being sued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commissioner over ‘misleading representations’ of free bets the bookie allegedly offers to lure Australian punters.
The case, which began last week with a pre-trial hearing in the Federal Court in Darwin, pits the consumer watchdog against the Bet365 group, self-described as the ‘biggest online betting provider... with over 14 million customers in 200 different countries’.
The case, which has been festering since August last year, will begin in the next couple of weeks.
ACCC alleges Bet365 made ‘misleading representations’ in breach of its free bet or deposit bonus offers.
The ACCC said Bet365 customers ‘must first risk their own deposit to receive a free bet or deposit bonus, so that consumers would only receive a $200 free bet or deposit bonus if they paid and gambled $200 of their own money first’ and, in order to be eligible for the offers, customers must have gambled three times the value of their deposit and bonus within 90 days before being able to withdraw any winnings.
“As a result, a consumer who made an initial deposit of $200 and received $200 in bets was required to then gamble $1,200 before being able to withdraw any money,” it said.
“To meet the free bet or deposit bonus terms and conditions, consumers were required to bet at odds of no less than 1.5, meaning that they were required to bet on higher risk transactions.”
The ACCC said it was seeking “declarations, injunctions, pecuniary penalties, corrective advertising, a compliance program and costs from Bet365” in relation to the case.
We await the outcome with considerable interest.
CORPORATES MAKE OBSCENE PROFITS WHILE OZ PUNTERS ARE ALLEGEDLY ‘RORTED’
THIS matter, which affects thousands of Aussie punters, went before the court in the same week as Paddy Power (Sportsbet) announced a profit last year of $551.6 million (285 million pounds) on its Australian on-line operations – up a whopping 56%.
And this is the company, mind you, that fought so hard through the courts against the imposition of two per cent turnover tax a couple of years ago.
Now surely the racing administrators of this country will be looking at an increase in tax.
That’s if they are interested, of course. Someone should just ask the race clubs – the actual providers of the product around the nation – how they are faring.
But, of course, the ‘big chief do-little’s’ of the Australian racing hierarchy might be too busy luring unnecessary overseas gallopers and splashing obscene amounts of prize-money and crates of champers for the visitors – and the elite of Sydney and Australian racing.
While the race clubs and their stakeholders in the rest of the state, by comparison, are doing it pretty tough.
But sadly that is the scene today – and inequitable industry dominated by breeders, Arabs and other overseas influences. And some have the audacity to name it progress.
HONG KONG AND JAPAN HAVE THE SUCCESSFUL FORMULA FOR BOOKMAKERS
ARGUABLY, Hong Kong and Japan are the only booming racing centres in the world.
And they don’t tolerate bookmakers, in fact they outlaw them.
Hong Kong doesn’t have breeders and Japan is closed shop to outsiders.
And, of course, they don’t have any Arab or other outside influences.
Funny that!
GRAHAM KLIESE CONSIDERS HIMSELF LUCKY – BUT HE’LL KEEP DOING IT
DON’T let the black eye, cracked pelvis, busted nose and fractured vertebrae fool you – leading North Queensland jockey Graham Kliese considers himself lucky – but he’ll be back.
That is what the 46-year-old veteran and long-time leading jockey told Rhys O’Neill of the Cairns Post this week as he recalled his frightening fall from Fundido at Home Hill.
He is facing at least two months on the sideline from the incident that horrified the on course crowd and SKY TV viewers around the country.
“I don’t remember a lot,” Kliese said. “It’s all a blur because it happened so quickly.
“It’s a jockey’s worst nightmare. If you ask a jockey what is the worst scenario, they would say it’s when a horse goes down in front of the pack.
“It was probably the worst fall I have had but it could have been really ugly.
“I was lucky I didn’t bring four or five other horses down with me.”
Kliese was taken to nearby Ayr Hospital with initial X-rays failing to detect any broken bones.
It was only when he returned home to Townsville that the true extent of his injuries were confirmed.
“I blacked out a few times and was really sick.
“On Sunday morning I was taken by ambulance to Townsville General where I was told about my injuries.”
“I had an option to stay in hospital – but I chose to come back home,” he said.
“I’m on crutches now and I’m still in a lot of pain.”
But he insists he will be back.
“There’s no chance of retirement,” Kliese said. “It’s a dangerous job but I think that’s why a lot of us do it – the thrill.”
ANOTHER RQ ‘STUFF-UP’ AS THE ROLE OF MACKAY CEO LINGERS ON
MACKAY has another CEO – well a temporary one until Racing Queensland decides on a replacement for Murray Chapple who scurried back to the Sunshine Coast straight after the last race at Ooralea on Friday.
His contract was due to expire and RQ had told him that his application was unsuccessful (after he was actually told by RQ to apply, mind you).
New acting CEO is Townsville Turf Club’s Michael Charge, who, in fact, blew into Mackay last Friday for a baptism of fire.
It seems a sensible move to have Charge at the helm as the next two race meetings scheduled for Oorlea (March 20 and 29) are both Townsville dates that have been re-allocated because of the Cluden upgrade.
Apparently there are three applicants on the short list for the job. And yes, in their doubtful wisdom Racing Queensland (or their selection panel) overlooked the local, Joe Hynes, who has a proven track record in race club management – and IS a local with no plan to move anytime soon.
Ah well….
WITH FRIENDS LIKE RQ THIS TRAINER SAYS IT’S TIME TO QUIT MACKAY
BUT Wayne Pomfrett a long-time local trainer says he is on the move.
“They gave Mackay only 19 race dates next season.
“I simply can’t survive on that.
“I think I will just have to give it away – there is little option,” he said
And not even the win by his well backed runner Killer Wasp on Friday would change his mind.
“It is just a bad joke. We have the best track – but not enough race dates.
“What’s wrong with them?” he asked.
And he is right. To allocate 19 dates to a club with the best track (and disgraceful jockeys’ facilities) in the state is just downright stupid.
But when the dates are being discussed there was no one going into bat for the Mackay Club – because it is virtually controlled by Racing Queensland.
And for some unfathomable reason it is being shafted at the top.
As Pomfrett said – It’s crazy!
GETTING back to the jockey’s room at Mackay – planners of the new facilities at Oorlea built a magnificent lounge and racetrack.
But they forgot about the jockeys. Their facilities are so scarce some are forced to change in the kitchen and the casualty room.
And we won’t talk about the trees. Those responsible for denuding the once picturesque racecourse by chopping down those majestic old trees should be belted with a ‘birch’.
ROCKHAMPTON TO ANNOUNCE $100,000 NEWMARKET – SAME STAKES AS CUP
THE mail is strong that the Rockhampton Jockey Club has some good news to be released later in the week.
It seems that the club, after an initial knockback by Racing Queensland, has been able to boost the Newmarket prize-money from $75,000 to $100,000.
The club will now have the Newmarket (1300m) and Cup (1600m) on the same day worth $100,000 and it is sure to tempt a few of the bigger stables from the south.
Expect a move from Townsville to request something similar.
Meanwhile, Gordonvale is gearing up for mammoth centenary celebrations next year that will coincide with St Patrick’s Day.
According to the club’s livewire president, Cameron Riches, there are strong Irish roots in the town. In fact it was named after Irishman John Gordon, founder of the Mulgrave Mill – still a major Turf Club sponsor.
Riches and his committee are planning a big St Paddy’s ball on the weekend of March 19 next year with special guests. The race meeting is wedged between Atherton (March 12) and Einasleigh (26th).
COLUMN COURTESY OF TERRY BUTTS AND THE NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, one of Australia's leading rural newspapers.
TERRY BUTTS can be contacted by e-mailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
