AUSSIE POLICE TURN ASIDE INTERNET SPORTS ADVERTISING COMPLAINT |
6/28/10 - An attempt to launch a prosecution against Australian sports clubs in sponsorship deals with online gambling companies has not been successful, with federal police declining to get involved, reports The Age newspaper.
The request for prosecution came from the federal government’s Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, which referred sponsorship deals involving NRL clubs and online poker websites to the Australian Federal Police.
The Department falls under Australia’s controversial cabinet minister Steven Conroy, already internationally notorious for his ongoing attempts to censor the internet through confidential ISP blacklists concocted by a government agency.
The issue has its genesis in the sponsorship of two NRL clubs by online poker websites.
The Age reports that at the start of the season Full Tilt Poker became short sponsors for the Sydney Roosters. Shortly after, rival online poker company PokerStars struck a sponsorship deal with the Cronulla Sharks.
Both companies use the .net advertising strategy whereby gambling is not directly offered on dot net websites which promote the companies.
NRL chief executive David Gallop signed off on the uniform deals in April this year, but in early June Conroy’s department referred the sponsorship deals to the Australian Federal Police, claiming that the Interactive Gaming Act of 2001 ''prohibits the advertising of interactive gambling services in Australia, including on the internet''.
Conroy confirmed that his department had decided the deals were in breach of the act, and both were referred to the federal police.
“Happily for the clubs involved, the police have so far decided not to investigate,” The Age notes.
The New Zealand courts were recently approached with a similar government complaint, in which the courts ruled in favour of online gamblings, finding that dot net advertising is not an inducement to gamble.
The case before Justice David J Harvey was brought by the New Zealand government’s Department of Internal Affairs, which complained that a company titled TVWorks, the owner of television stations TV3 and C4, had carried .net play-for-free advertising for Pokerstars, a major provider of gambling services.
Meanwhile the Australian federal government remains set against online online gambling regulation, most recently rejecting the recommendation by its own Productivity Commission that regulation was preferable to prohibition.
A joint statement from Senator Conroy, Assistant Treasurer Nick Sherry and Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families, Housing and Community Services, asserted last week:
''The Australian Government does not support the liberalisation of online gaming, including online poker, as recommended by the Productivity Commission.
''The Government is not convinced that liberalising online gaming would have benefits for the Australian community which would outweigh the risks of an increased incidence of problem gambling, particularly with the rapid changes in technology.''
Conroy’s latest attack on internet gambling has achieved one thing – it has apparently intimidated NRL chief executive David Gallop, dissuading him from approving further sponsorships.
The Age reports that Gallop has written to NRL clubs and advised that no further online gambling deals will be considered by the league.
<-- Back to main news
Recent Gambling News :
BUZZ SPORTS FLAGSHIP PRODUCT FOR DAFABET -
Friday May 18, 2012 : Buzz Sports, the Leeds-based gaming start up, has announced yet another deal for its flagship product ZonePlay with Asian operator Dafabet.com
Live dealer gaming provider Evolution Gaming has done well in securing an extension to its existing -
Friday May 18, 2012 : Live dealer gaming provider Evolution Gaming has done well in securing an extension to its existing contract with bwin.party digital that names it exclusive live casino solution provider across all bwin.party brands worldwide for a three-year period.
BOYLESPORTS SIGNS UP FOR GREYHOUND COVERAGE -
Friday May 18, 2012 : Irish independent bookmaker Boylesports completed another supply deal this week in a new agreement with live data provider SIS for its Greyhound racing coverage.
CHILE LAWMAKERS PROPOSE ONLINE GAMBLING LEGISLATION -
Friday May 18, 2012 : A bill authored by Chile Senators Antonio Horvath and Ricardo Lagos proposing the regulation of online gambling was referred to the Senate Finance Committee for review earlier this month according to Senate online publication Senado.cl
RAMSGATE FC MOBILE BETTING FROM WORLDLINK -
Friday May 18, 2012 : The launch of the mobile application, on a revenue share basis, is a progression from the white label online betting offering that launched in January 2012 in PC format.
| |
Top 6 Poker Sites - Editor’s Pick |
 |
|
|
| Poker Room |
Visit |
Code |
Bonus |
Info |
| Bovada Poker |
|
1349384 |
$1000 |
 |
| BetOnLine Poker |
|
None Needed |
$200 |
 |
| Carbon Poker |
|
None Needed |
$600 |
 |
Bodog Poker |
|
1349384 |
$1100 |
 |
PartyPoker |
|
500free |
$500 |
 |
888Poker |
|
None Needed |
$8 ND |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Top 6 Casino Sites - Editor’s Pick |
 |
|
|
| Casino |
Visit |
Code |
Bonus |
Info |
SlotsPlus Casino |
|
Offsuit |
$7000 |
 |
| Bovada Casino |
|
1349384 |
$500 |
 |
Bodog Casino  |
|
1349384 |
10% |
 |
| ClubUsa Casino |
|
Cherry |
150% |
 |
| Buzzluck Casino |
|
Buzzluck |
$868 |
 |
| LuckyRed Casino |
|
Cherry |
$4000 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|