New South Wales to allow bookies to use online betting facilities

The New South Wales Thoroughbred Racing Board has agreed to allow bookmakers to bring laptop computers onto its racecourses for the purposes of betting as long as they obey strict terms and conditions.

These stipulations, which must be agreed to by both the racecourse and the operator before any wagering takes place, include a requirement that the computer and telephone systems used must have remote monitoring software installed that the regulator can monitor.

Approved laptops will also be subject to an annual monitoring fee while bookmakers must institute a dispute resolution process and establish minimum betting limits with appropriate financial guarantee levels.

Racecourse patrons will only be permitted to view websites and bet with approved operators and any computer must be dedicated only to racing and not used outside of the race meeting or betting venue. Patrons will also be forbidden from accessing non-approved websites and sending or receiving e-mails.

Bookmakers who meet the requirements, will be permitted to offer Internet betting around-the-clock either from a race-day stand, a betting auditorium or from an approved betting office. Bookmakers can apply in two forms with the first allowing them to view websites, transact bets and bet backs via the Internet while a second restricts operators to viewing websites and bet backs only.

Source: InfoPowa News