Will There Be Changes In Gaming Bill?

Chronicle (Levin), 13 August 1949, Page 6

Will There Be Changes In Gaming Bill?

WELLINGTON, Last Night. The keenest speculation is rife among political observers as to the likely contents of the coming Gaming Bill. It sNeems. likely that there will be one of two provisions which. may ca)us6- Some,/ snrprise. • As is known, the main purpdse of the Bill will be to give effect to the referendum deeision last March. to permit oii-eourse betting. A sub-committee^of the Racing and Trottinig . Confer'ences put in a great'deal of. work afte'r' the poll and ' prepared a draft Bill for suffi' mission to the Government. The two' conferenees natur'ally" assumed that, .by and large, their draft Bill would be' ' introdueed'. Irt' the last . f ew days, however,. there have 'beehf persistent rumours that the Goyerkmeiit is insisting on some changesl The Bill is expected to come down next week. •— • One suggestion is that because it- will be impossible to sfe't up.alf the proposed 200 betting ageneies throughout the country, certain reputable bookmakers in some centres should act as accredited agents in the meantime until betting ageneies can be established. It is understood that a tentative appfoach on these lines was made recently to the Racing . Conference. Local authorities, however, prediet that such a proposal will have no chance of being agreed to either by the Government or the conference.

A further rumour is that racing clubs may be asked to accept bets themselves until the seheme is fully in operati-on. Under this plan, bettors would be abie to place bets during the week with a club which was holding a meeting on the following Saturday. This wouia hardly be welcomed by the clubs, which would have to augment their staffs and aceommodation considerably to eope with this.