Betfair Australia http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,17352074%255E1702,00.html is to be licensed within weeks following the passing of the legislation in the Tasmanian Upper House last week. The Tasmanian Premier said he expected a number of operators to apply for a license. We understand TABCORP, one of the organizations that lobbied the hardest against betting exchanges, will be one of them. It remains to be seen if that eventuates but if it does, it shows the hypocrisy that runs deep in the establishment in Australia. One thing is for sure, betting exchanges are here to stay.

The interesting thing is that we don’t expect an explosion of betting exchange action. The fact is that Betfair has been operating on Australian races legally in all states except NSW and WA for the past few years and the majority of NSW and WA punters have been using them anyway. What will change is that Betfair will now advertise extensively although some States, in violation of the constitution, have made it illegal for interstate bookmakers and betting organizations to advertise in their State. If Betfair, for example, sponsors the Tasmanian cricket team, can you see the NSW Government insisting that they not have the Betfair logo on their shirts when they play at the SCG? Won’t happen will it? It really is time for the various Racing bodies and State Governments to wake up and start looking after the punters because what they don’t realize is that the key to making money in any business, and Racing is the biggest business, is to do the right thing by the players.

Recently, we presented a number of Seminars in Brisbane and Melbourne (and last Autumn in Sydney and Adelaide) on Professional Staking and Money Management. The focus at these seminars was on the discipline and psychology of operating your punting in a business like manner and this applies no matter how large or small your average bet is. WE admit to being a little bit amazed at how many of our clients had made minor mistakes in operating some of our Staking software plans, and mostly to their detriment. Any advice on these and all of our products, is available freely and we were surprised with comments like “we didn’t want to take up your time, you must be very busy.” Well’ it’s true that we are busy and we like to be. We like to be busy helping our clients to get it right.

AUSTOTE were surprised to find that as far as the Victorian Government is concerned they are not allowed to bet on Victorian races or is it that they are not allowed to use the Victorian fields. Either way clients of Austote were equally amazed to find that December the 1sts Cranbourne meeting was listed as abandoned. IAS which is the 67% owner of Austote has an agreement with Racing Victoria to use their fields for betting. Victoria is leading the way aren’t they? We have Skychannel not allowed to show Victorian or Sydney Metropolitan races and now Interstate operators NOT ALLOWED to use their race fields. The sheer stupidity of it all astounds me. When will the punters of this country get a fair go?