Marie-Clare Boothby rules out ban on gambling companies giving gifts to politicians, regulator ahead of review

The NT’s Racing minister – who had her tickets to the Darwin Cup paid for by online betting companies – has confirmed she will not ban gifts from the industry ahead of a major review.

The Territory will not close a tax loophole for Australia’s online gambling agencies or ban gifts from corporate bookmakers, despite launching a review into the betting industry.

On Tuesday Attorney-General and Racing Minister Marie-Clare Boothby said she would conduct a review, while it was confirmed that both she and NT Racing and Wagering Commission chair Alastair Shields had previously accepted free Darwin Cup tickets from betting companies.

Ms Boothby said the review would focus on the racing industries' operations and sustainability, but she was not looking to ban betting companies from giving gifts.

Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby in front of the Supreme Court in Darwin, next to the NT Parliament. Picture: Zizi Averill

“Historically there has been some receiving of gifts, and disclosing of gifts under the gambling, racing and wagering industry,” she said.

“We’ve asked all of the agencies across government to look at the way they deal with gifts, and they deal with disclosures of conflicts of interest, because we do want to ensure there is an open and transparent way in which we’re dealing with different things that come across our desk.”

“The gifts need to be disclosed, and that is the bottom line.”

On the latest conflicts of interest register, Ms Boothby disclosed that in the days before the election Sports Bet gave her tickets to the Darwin Cup Gala Ball, while Tabcorp, Carlton United Breweries, and Darwin Turf Club paid for her corporate area tickets to the 2024 Darwin Cup.

Then-Shadow NT Racing Minister Marie-Clare Boothby had her corporate area ticket to the 2024 Darwin Cup paid for by Tabcorp, Carlton United Breweries and Darwin Turf Club. Picture: Facebook

It comes as the chief gambling regulator, Mr Shields disclosed to the ABC that he had also previously accepted gifts from the gambling industry, including attending the Darwin Cup as a guest.

Mr Shields said the NTRWC had “very robust” conflict-of-interest processes in place and any gifts were declared at meetings.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by either Ms Boothby or Mr Shields.

NT Racing and Wagering Commission chair Alastair Shields. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The flagged changes to the Racing and Wagering Act come just 13 months after the last reforms passed parliament with bipartisan support, with Ms Boothby claiming her undisclosed changes were necessary for the industry’s long-term survival.

“We know that it is a huge contributor to our economy and we want to ensure it is sustainable into the future,” she said.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Territorians lost $200m to gambling between 2019-2020 — an average of $811 loss per person.

While the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade said a further $150m went just to the pokies in 2022-23 alone.

Yet it was estimated that the gambling industry would provide just $21m in tax revenues to the NT in 2023-24.

The Northern Territory is the only jurisdiction without a point of consumption tax for wagering, but Ms Boothby said her review would not look at closing this national loophole.

“You can speak to any of the people around the country about racing and our regulations here in the Northern Territory — they are robust.”

“We have the tightest regulation across the country.”

This is despite a 2023 Senate Inquiry into online gambling saying the NT had the “lowest taxes and fees and has been described as a light touch regulatory regime”.

Currently 36 sports bookmakers and betting exchanges are regulated by the NT Racing and Wagering Commission, with the six member regulator — including Mr Shields — responsible for monitoring a $50bn national industry.

In his submission to the Senate Inquiry, Menzies public health researcher Matt Stevens candidly told the Inquiry there was “virtually complete lack of compliance checks by regulators, particularly in the NT”.

“The NT, as a small jurisdiction, provides an opportunity for industry to get too close to government regulators, with the latter seeing themselves as a business partner, rather than a legislator and regulator,” Dr Stevens wrote in a submission.

“This is a gross dereliction of duty to ensure consumers are not being exposed to risky gambling products.”

NT Gamblers, their friends or family seeking confidential support can call Amity Community Service on 1800 858 858.

Originally published as Marie-Clare Boothby rules out ban on gambling companies giving gifts to politicians, regulator ahead of review