The Racing Post
Australia's competition watchdog has turned its attention to known opponents of Betfair, as a new and unexpected twist emerged on Tuesday in the leading betting exchange’s controversial and long-running quest to set up an operation Down Under.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which has a similar role to the Competition Commission in the UK, has launched an investigation surrounding Betfair's attempt to persuade state authorities to grant a licence.
Its representatives are questioning senior figures associated with all the major race clubs in Australia, including chairmen and chief executives, and officials of the TAB betting companies. No official statement has been made by the ACCC, but likely target Andrew Ramsden, chairman of the Australian Racing Board, confirmed the existence of the inquiries. He declined to go into detail, but said the ACCC was seeking to establish whether anyone had been employing anti-competitive measures during Betfair’s applications for licences.
Betfair, which has a partnership with a company run by Kerry Packer, one of Australia’s most influential businessmen, has provoked a storm of protest from politicians and racing and betting professionals alike with its expansionist ambition. However, the Hammersmith-based innovator has pressed on, and its latest target is Tasmania, whose government could debate a licence application ‘within two to three weeks,’ according to Ramsden.
