Published: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 Online-Casinos.com
BETFAIR ANSWER SOON
Keenly awaited Tasmanian licensing decsion within next ten days
Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon told Parliament this week that the government was close to deciding if it would grant Betfair its first Australian licence, and said he expected to be in a position to make a final announcement within the next ten days.
Lennon's willingness to consider the Kerry Packer-backed proposal has sparked outrage in the international racing community. Opposition racing minister Sue Napier tabled copies of letters to the premier from racing associations around the world, urging him to deny the licence.
Countries which had written included Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland and South Africa.
Napier said in a statement the level of opposition was a "serious wake-up call" to the Premier.
"The time has well and truly come for the Premier to act in the best interests of the racing industry in Tasmania and the thousands of people who rely on it for their livelihoods, and rule out the licensing of Betfair in Tasmania before Tasmania becomes the pariah of the racing world," she said.