XN000022-1977-01-19 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, "977

GAMBLING (AMENDMENT) BILL SUPPORTED

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THE RESPONSIBILITY WHICH HAS BEEN LAID ON THE JOCKEY CLUB TO PROVIDE A COMPETITIVE ALTERNATIVE TO ILLEGAL AND UNCONTROLLED GAMBLING IS NOT EASY TO DISCHARGE, THE HON. P.G. WILLIAMS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY,

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE GAMBLING (AMENDMENT) BILL 1976, HE SAID THE CLUB HAD BEEN REQUIRED TO DIVERT GAMBLING NOT TO PROMOTE IT AND IT HAD TO DO SO AT SOME DISADVANTAGE TO ITS ILLEGAL COMPETITORS WHO COULD OFFER DISCOUNTS AND CONVENIENCE.

MR. WILLIAMS, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STEWARDS OF THE JOCKEY CLUB, POINTED OUT THAT THE ILLEGAL BOOKMAKERS COULD ALSO OFFER CREDIT WHICH IT WOULD BE IMPROPER FOR THE CUSTODIAN OF STAKES TO DO AND WOULD BE AN UNDESIRABLE ENCOURAGEMENT OF BETTING.

ON THE OTHER HAND, HE EMPHASISED, THE JOCKEY CLUB HAD ALWAYS ENJOYED THE ADVANTAGE OF COMPLETE INTEGRITY AS STAKE HOLDERS.

HE STRESSED THAT NO SMALL EFFORT HAD GONE INTO THE PLANNING OF THE OFF COURSE BETTING (OCB) SYSTEM.

+ I AM AFRAID THAT TO SOME EXTENT ITS OPENNESS HAS WORKED AGAINST IT, HE STATED.

+THERE HAS BEEN A DELIBERATE POLICY TO MAKE THE CENTRES BRIGHT AND CLEAN, SO THAT THEY CAN BE WELL POLICED AND WILL NOT BECOME A HANGOUT FOR UNDESIRABLE ELEMENTS.

+BY THAT VERY POLICY, I SUPPOSE, ATTENTION HAS BEEN DRAWN TO LEGAL OPERATIONS AND AWAY FROM THE CROOKS WHO SKULK IN CORNERS AND STAIRCASES TO THE EXTENT THAT MANY WELL-MEANING PEOPLE MAY HAVE LOST SIGHT, OR MAY NEVER EVEN HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE EVIL WHICH MUST BE COMBATTED.+

HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT NO SMALL AMOUNTS OF MONEY HAD GONE INTO THIS EFFORT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS DURING WHICH, THE CLUB HAD SPENT ON OCB CENTRES $159 MILLION IN CAPITAL AND RUNNING COSTS WHICH HAD YIELDED $242 MILLION TO GENERAL REVENUE IN BETTING DUTY AND $63 MILLION TO THE CLUB AS A CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS RACING ADMINISTRATION AND CHARITIES.

MR. WILLIAMS STRESSED THAT THE JOCKEY CLUB WAS DOING THE UTMOST TO COUNTER ILLEGAL BOOKMAKERS AND WAS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS.

+ I AM CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL NOT BE LONG BEFORE THE VAST MAJORITY WILL HAVE NO NEED, INCLINATION NOR WISH TO USE AN ILLEGAL CHANNEL IN ORDER TO BET,+ HE ASSERTED,

MR. WILLIAMS EXPLAINED THAT SOME 40 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL JOCKEY CLUB TURNOVER WAS EET ON THE COURSE AND OF THIS, 70 PER CENT CAME FROM ABOUT 7,000 RACEGOERS IN THE MEMBERS' ENCLOSURES.

HE SAIL