Australia: is computer illegal gambling machine?

VenueNet, a service that provides computers with internet access in Australian bars and hotels is charged with operating an illegal gambling device. VenueNet is a marketing company, its computer kiosks are indicted by Tabcorp, which says the company violates exclusive gambling licensing  and are in fact online casinos.

Tabcorp paid for licensing in the province of Victoria in Australia, but customers who use the Internet connection of the VenueNets computers, are able to access Sportsbet online casinos and other gambling and betting sites, without visiting the site of Tabcorp. According to Tabcorp, this is a violation of the gambling legislation, and its exclusive license. Following the complaints, members of the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation seized a computer from VenueNet from the Rising Sun Hotel in Melbourne.

Directors at VenueNet are now demanding the return of their computer. They say the device is the same as those in airports, malls and other locations, and aren’t any more gambling devices than the computers in the courtroom or elsewhere. Although the machine grants the user access to Sportsbet and other casinos online, it does not put the emphasis on that site more than on all the other sites, it’s possible via the browser to visit the site of Sportsbet. The device itself does not accept or register any bets.

VenueNet says their business have suffered because of the states case against their company . They plan to place 200 additional kiosks in Victoria, and say they want to expand to other provinces when the casino gambling issue in Victoria is settled. Developers of the hard disk and technology present in the kiosk have written statements, stating that the machine are no different from other computers that may be found at airports.

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