William Hill CEO Calls for Ease on Betting Bans
Expanding the rights of legal bookmakers and inciting customers back that currently place bets offshore is the best way to keep corruption out of the gaming industry, claims Ralph Topping CEO of William Hill.
William Hill CEO Richard Topping argues that bans on legal betting will drive customers offshore.
According to Topping, “one of the most uneducated comments that can be made about sport and its integrity in the UK is that that kind of ‘in-play betting’ would lead to fixings and whatever else… The best way you can regulate a business and control it is to have legitimate bookmakers involved”.
He also pointed out that it is virtually impossible to fight the spread of internet gambling which is already responsible for a quarter of Australia’s $26bn annual betting turnover.
Topping argues that blocking the offshore market will not put a stop to illegal gambling. “They have tried it in Italy, they have tried it in France and it has failed and I think you have to acknowledge that the best way to fight that market is to legitimise what happens in our market and allow it onshore and allow responsible participants to have an audit trail on that market.”
