Victory for Tasmania-licensed Betfair in Australia's High Court and the state's recent inclusion on the UK white list have raised Tasmania's standing as a licensing jurisdiction. GamblingCompliance spoke exclusively with Racing Minister Michael Aird about how the developments will influence Tasmania's regulatory approach.

Tote Tasmania is to be sold on the open market after the state government said that public ownership of a wagering business was not a core function of government.

After a failed tender process to sell TOTE Tasmania, the white listed jurisdiction is facing a possible switch in the UK's policy from a regime based on mutual recognition to one based on local licensing.

Gambling ministers in New South Wales and Victoria have jointly confirmed they will reform local legislation to allow corporate bookmakers licensed elsewhere in Australia to advertise their services in the country’s two largest states. The announcement comes after a landmark victory for Betfair Australia in an Australian High Court case earlier this year.

The chief executive of Australian gaming giant Tabcorp pledged to pursue legal action to gain compensation from the Victorian Government after reform of the state’s machine gaming industry forced Tabcorp to write off nearly AU$500m in its annual results yesterday. Meanwhile the company warned of two years of further regulatory uncertainty as the Australian wagering market faces a ‘complete rewrite’.

The chief executive of Betfair Australia has accused the Racing New South Wales of a “stunt” aimed at derailing their ongoing court case involving Betfair and Sportsbet, as legal experts question the validity of new rules applying copyright fees to racing information.

Tabcorp’s half-year results were lifted by growth at the group’s wagering division as the company remained cautious in an evolving regulatory environment Down Under.

Operators that have approval to offer bets on racing in New South Wales and currently pay the state’s 1.5 percent ‘race fields’ fee will not have to pay the 3 percent copyright fee that will be imposed by Racing New South Wales (RNSW) at the beginning of October.

The chief executive of Australian gaming firm Tabcorp has railed against the increase in costs caused by unwelcome state government and racing industry actions in Queensland and Victoria as the company announced a A$300m fundraising and a continued dividend cut as it attempts to boost its cash reserves.

Betfair’s High Court challenge to Western Australia’s prohibition of betting exchanges concluded yesterday. With the licensing and regulation of exchanges a hot political topic in other Australian states, the Court’s decision on Betfair, will be eagerly awaited.