Australian betting operator Tabcorp has found itself in hot water over a 2015 promotion that offer rewards to new accounts. Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court found the gambling operator guilty of three counts of illegally luring punters to open accounts, skynews.com.au reported on Friday. The promotion in question was published in a newspaper and online in August 2015 and offered bonus bets as well as other rewards as inducements, according to the news outlet. Government outlaws bookmakers to publish ads tempting residents in New South Wales with enticements to gamble or open betting accounts.Tabcorp, which has denied the offences, will…

Calvin Ayre – Shortly after he sold his independent betting firm Betstar to UK bookies Ladbrokes, Alan Eskander bemoaned the (mostly) British invasion that was changing the face of the Australian betting industry. Ladbrokes also recently acquired Bookmaker.com.au, while William Hill now owns Centrebet, Sportingbet and TomWaterhouse.com, Paddy Power owns Sportsbet, Bet365 is operating under its own banner and Betfred is prepping its own down under launch. Eskander told the Australian Financial Review that if current consolidation trends continue, “in five years time there will be three or four major players in Australia at best.” The biggest player in Australian…

iGaming Business – Australian gaming companies Tabcorp and Tatts are seeking repayments of more than AUS$1 billion (€651.6 million/US$880.4 million) from the Victorian Government after changes were made to poker machine regulations. According to ABC Australian, the Supreme Court in Melbourne heard that Tabcorp is suing for nearly $700 million plus interest after claiming it as entitled to a payment when its poker machine licences expired in 2012. The Tatts Group is said to be seeking about $500 million from the Government in the Australian state of Victoria. The two companies held a duopoly to operate 27,000 gaming machines outside…