Bridget McKenzie will consider the findings of a sports integrity review released last month.GETTY IMAGES
A push to "give punters the ability to place instant online bets during live sport is emerging as the next battleground in the wagering industry" after a report found a ban on the practice is "attracting Australians to unregulated offshore websites," according to Nick Toscano of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Australian Minister For Sport Bridget McKenzie is "considering the findings of a wide-ranging sports-integrity review," released last month, which recommended "consideration be given" to allowing online in-play wagering in Australia to prevent Australians from betting through illegal offshore sites. Offering instant online bets while a sporting event is in play is banned in Australia over the internet, but is "allowed via telephone calls and in TABs." The government-commissioned sports-integrity review, led by James Wood, found that legalizing online in-play bets would "reduce the appeal of unregulated offshore sites that do not share intelligence with Australian authorities," and therefore would "strengthen the capacity to identify potential match-fixing in Australia and generate greater tax revenue." The recommendation is set to "reignite debate in racing and political circles about the merits of an in-play betting ban" (SMH, 9/18).
