Canberrans have been barred from accessing a group betting feature on Sportsbet following a review of regulation but the government is unaware what, if any, government rules would prevent this.
Sportsbet customers have received messages telling them they would be locked out of the "Bet With Mates" portion of their account following a review of regulatory requirements.
The move comes as gambling companies prepare for their busiest season of the year. The AFL and NRL finals are just around the corner and the spring racing carnival will kick into high gear in the coming weeks.
Additionally, the NBA season commences in late October. The American basketball league has become a key driver of revenue in recent years.
Sportsbet members were informed on Wednesday about the change and were told any remaining balance would be refunded the following day when they would also be locked out of their account.
"As a result of a recent review we wish to inform you that all customers in ACT will no longer have access to their BWM groups or be able to create and/or join new groups," the message, seen by The Canberra Times, said.
"Should you have an existing account balance in a bet with mates group that you are currently a member of, then your portion of this balance will be refunded into your Sportsbet account on 17th August 2023."
The "Bet With Mates" feature operates like a betting syndicate where Sportsbet customers can create a group and pool their funds together to bet on events. The group determines rules for players to follow.
This is the only feature that ACT residents will be banned from accessing.
"Please be assured you will still have access to other Sportsbet features," the message said.
A spokesman for Gaming Minister Shane Rattenbury said the government was not aware on what basis Sportsbet had made the change and they had not been contacted by the company.
The ACT government has cracked down on gambling, including the introduction of stricter rules on poker machines. The government is also encouraging clubs to remove or decrease the amount of machines.
Mr Rattenbury was also exploring the possibility of whether television gambling could be banned in the territory.
The government also increased the point of consumption tax in the ACT from 20 per cent to 25 per cent in the June budget. The tax is the highest of any state or territory.
In confirming the decision, Sportsbet cited a number of factors however declined to elaborate further on the reasons for the move. It's not believed the increase in point of consumption tax was a key factor.
It's understood ACT punters will no longer be able to participate in groups featuring members in other jurisdictions. At this stage, there are no plans to cease Bet With Mates in the rest of the country.
"Our products and promotions can vary across jurisdictions, and are based on several factors including seasonality and location," Sportsbet said in a statement. "Any existing Bet With Mates account balances will be divided and refunded into each customer's individual accounts."
Meanwhile, Who But Roo secured the Federal at Canberra Racecourse during Friday's meeting on the synthetic Acton track in his first start for new trainer Geoffrey Crothers.
The gelding was recently sold and the $20,400 prizemoney proved it was a wise investment for the new ownership group.
Crothers isn't looking too far ahead but identified April's $500,000 Country Championships final as a potential long-term target.
"The sky's the limit with this horse," Crothers said. "He's very raw.
"We'll just play it by ear, see how he pulls up but going forward we may look at the Country Championships."
