Minimums for telephone and Internet betting to be further reduced

30/6/03
Minimum bet levels lodged via telephone or Internet transactions with Western Australian bookmakers are to be further reduced from tomorrow (July 1).
Racing and Gaming Minister Nick Griffiths said minimum bets would be cut from $100 to $50 for metropolitan racing and there would be no minimum on country events.
This would apply across all codes, bringing WA into line with Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.
Mr Griffiths said a further review of minimum bet levels, by WA's racing's new governing body, Racing and Wagering Western Australia, should take place before July 1, 2004.
By then RWWA would have had more than 12 months to assess whether the reductions had adversely affected funding of the State's racing industry and if it was necessary to abolish the limits.
The Minister said the changes to minimum bet levels were part of a national plan to achieve consistency in all areas of the operations of bookmakers and provide a fairer deal to WA punters.
"WA has played a major role in co-ordinating a national approach to racing issues, particularly through the Cross-Border Betting Taskforce chaired by the Director-General of the Department of Racing and Gaming, Barry Sargeant," he said.
Minister's office: 9222 8950