New Paddy Power boss backs Australian in-live betting reform

Andy McCue, successor to Paddy Power’s chief executive Patrick Kennedy as of January 1, 2015, said he will back his Sportsbet Australia team’s lobbying efforts in reforming Australian digital gambling laws on in-play betting.

“One of the clear observations from the Australian market is you can’t bet in-play digitally, which is something of an oddity,” he said in an interview with The Australian Financial Review Weekend.

With the upcoming Cricket World Cup and the AFC Asian Cup due to be hosted by Australia next year, Cormac Barry who heads up Sportsbet Australia, said he expects the inconsistency in the in-play betting regulation to become a priority for politicians.

While in-play betting is banned online and via mobile, bettors can still place in-play bets through call centres or physically at betting retail stores.

Regarding ongoing betting integrity issues, including match-fixing, Barry views the risks as being primarily driven by the offshore betting market as punters seek attractive odds and a bigger choice of offers.

If lawmakers review the Interactive Gambling Act, that would need to be driven on a Federal level, Barry opined, as “The internet doesn’t recognise borders.”

But Dr. Charles Livingstone of Monash University believes allowing online and mobile in-play betting would increase the risk of problem gambling due to the ability to continuously bet at the touch of a button as opposed to having to pick up a phone or visit a retail store.

“If you’re in a gambling environment where you can bet constantly, the risks are elevated considerably,” Livingstone said.

In related news, Tom Murgatroyd, head of live casino at Paddy Power, has been placed on gardening leave following his resignation.  Murgatroyd is taking up a position with Sky where he will head up the company’s Sky Casino brand.

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