Betfair blocks Aussie online casino ban
15th May, 2008
Taxpayers in Western Australia (WA) will have to foot a massive AUS$500,000 (£240,000) bill following an unsuccessful attempt to ban online casino gambling in the state.
In March, WA government officials launched a legal battle to stop leading online gambling network Betfair from allowing local residents to tender bets on sporting events.
The move was widely expected to be overturned but prosecutors pressed on with the case regardless, drumming up public sector legal costs "in the order of probably the half a million mark".
Commenting after the High Court rejected the legislation, racing and gaming minister Ljiljanna Ravlic seemed unconcerned about the expense on the general public.
"I haven't been presented with the final figure, but I'm quite happy to make that public," she insisted. "You go to court to appeal a decision of the court which is a matter of public interest, naturally the involvement of lawyers means that it is going to be costly."
Analysts have panned the lawsuit as being frivolous and suggested that any further anti-casino drives should be pursued on a federal rather than state level.
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