Prohibiting Betting Exchanges -- On Wednesday Western Australia's Racing and Gaming Minister Mark McGowan introduced legislation to ban the operation of betting exchanges in his state. The new legislation would also control access to WA race field information by requiring all gambling operators to satisfy an integrity test, effectively preventing them from offering bets on WA racing events without authorization. This legislation differs from race fields legislation passed recently in Victoria because it bans betting exchanges outright. The proposal also contains language to prohibit Western Australian citizens from using betting exchanges and implements a punishment of a A$10,000 fine or 24 months of imprisonment or both.
Awareness Week -- The Australian State of Victoria has partnered with the gambling industry and community groups to promote Responsible Gambling Awareness Week, June 19 to 25. Minister for Gaming, John Pandazopoulos, announced partnership initiatives involving the Bracks Government, the Interchurch Gambling Taskforce, Gambler's Help Services, the Salvation Army, Tabcorp, Tattersall's, ClubsVIC, Crown Ltd, the Australian Hotels Association Victoria and the Victorian Local Governance Association. This week, clubs, hotels, community centers, gambling venues, sporting facilities and church centers will promote responsible gambling to their patrons and visitors through a wide range of self-help literature.
Calgary Study -- The University of Calgary is beginning a five-year, 2,000 person study to find out what role factors such as society, genetics, family history, upbringing, financial status, access, and culture play in people's gambling habits. According to project coordinator David Hodgins, the study will follow volunteers, including problem gamblers, leisure gamblers and non-gamblers over the five-year period to see how gambling trends change with age, with the implementation of new legislation, with the opening and closing of gambling establishments and with life circumstances.
UNiTAB War -- Australian betting firm Unitab Ltd has said it is still committed to a merger proposal with gaming company Tattersall's Ltd as it awaits an independent expert's assessment of Tabcorp Holdings Ltd's $1.9 billion takeover offer. Though the Unitab board rejected Tabcorp's offer as inadequate, an independent review of the bid has been ordered by Unitab before the issue of its target's statement. Unitab sent a letter to shareholders on Tuesday urging them to await further guidance from the board in relation to the two competing transactions and again advised shareholders to take no action in relation to the Tabcorp offer.
Maxim's WSOP Ed. -- Maxim Magazine's July issue will have a World Series of Poker insert featuring professional poker player Clonie Gowen, who is part FullTiltPoker.com's Team Full Tilt. Maxim's "Guide to the World Series of Poker" will lead with a cover photo of Gowen and will highlight her assets in a two-page spread.