TO RESTRICT BETTING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 166, 9 April 1920, Page 6

TO RESTRICT BETTING

* IMPORTANT NEW REGULATIONS NO BETS BY TELEGRAPH OR TELEPHONE Restrictions on the uso of the Postal service, the telegraph service and the telephones for betting purposes are imposed by regulation* issued in the Gazette. They are drastic in intention. The following telegrams aro prohibited :— (1) Telegrams in plain language relating to betting or to investments on the totalisator, or in coded language reasonably supposed to relate to betting oi' to investments on the totalisator. (2) .Money-order telegrams addressed to a racing club, or to a secretary or other officer, agent, or servant of a racing club, relating to investments on the. totalisator. (3) Any money-order telegram addressed to any person who has been convicted in a Court of law under the Gaming Act. 190S, or any amendment thereof, of any offence relating to betting or to investments on the totalisator. The officer in charge of the telegraph office whore the telegram is presented is authorised to determine whether the message infringes any of these regulations.

It is further .provided that no private box at a post office may be held for the purpose of conducting a betting business. If any box i 9 known to be used for such a purpose, and if the holder of a box is believed to conduct any such business, the holder may be deprived of the uso of the box without notice.

The Minister of Telegraphs may refuse to connect with the telephone exchange, and may disconnect', any premises "which in the opinion of'the Minister are used for any illegal, immoral and improper purpose, and may, either with or without previous notice, exclude from the telephone exchange any subscriber who allows the telephone instruments in his custody to be put to any improper use." Any person who uses or allows to be used a telephone for the purpose, of making a .bet, inscribing a betting transaction, or otherwise for the purpose of gambling on the result of a horse race or other sport or pastime, ehall be regarded as putting t.hc telephone to an improper use. These regulations come into operation as from the date of the publication of the Gazette.