"We believe the laws are protectionist. What's more, they're depriving racing clubs and other stakeholders of a natural revenue stream in the form of advertising and sponsorship," said Andrew Twaits, Betfair's Director of Corporate and Business Affairs.

Michael Sullivan, CEO of Sportingbet Australia agreed.
"We believe this legislation is fundamentally flawed and it contradicts the spirit of business in Australia by restricting fair and open trade between the states," he said.

"At a fundamental grass roots level, the NSW advertising ban against interstate wagering operators stops the punter from seeing the full picture," said Mr Sullivan.

The NSW government is, for the first time, asking all interstate TABs, bookmakers and betting exchanges to pay for the right to cover NSW racing.

"We're happy to pay a fair fee to the racing industry, but we have to be able to compete on a level playing field," Mr Twaits said.

"The wagering landscape in Australia has changed dramatically and so have consumer preferences. If racing wants to compete with the myriad gambling options available, then the governing bodies must embrace competition and move with the times," Mr Sullivan said.

Betfair & Sportingbet Media Release Published 10/07/08