TV betting service draws criticism

The Victorian government has been criticised for approving a TV betting service which allows punters to gamble at home using their remote control.

Opposition Gaming spokesman Michael O'Brien said the innovation would allow Victorians to "lose their house without having to leave their couch."

"This is a classic example of the government putting revenue ahead of responsibility," he said.

Mr O'Brien said under the Brumby government, gamblers' losses on poker machines had doubled, lottery tickets have become available through SMS and vending machines and now TAB TV will be accessible at home.

The government says the subscription scheme, which will operate through Foxtel's Sky Racing, is merely an extension of the existing phone and internet betting accounts already held by thousands of Australians.

Gaming Minister Tony Robinson said the Two Way TV betting scheme "just provides a more convenient option" than phone and internet accounts.

Mr Robinson, who has personal TAB phone and internet accounts and "enjoys the occasional flutter", said the move would be welcomed by Australians.

"Australians love a punt, it's the oldest form of gambling in this country, hundreds of thousands of Victorians enjoy a regular punt and they do so responsibly," he said.

The NSW government has rejected Two Way TV betting, meaning Victoria is the first state to approve the service for punting on horse racing, trots and greyhounds.

"It's been a service that's been available to punters in the US for some considerable time and so it brings our punters in line with what's been available overseas," Mr Robinson said.

He said the service was available only to Foxtel subscribers and that optional safeguards such as PIN access to ensure children do not gain unauthorised access and a "long" registration test were available.

Mr O'Brien claimed the current safeguards were inadequate, and failed to protect the technologically savvy younger generation.

Anti-gambling activists say the impact on underage betting was more worrying than the overall increased exposure to gambling.

Former head of the Inter-Church Gambling Taskforce, Tim Costello, argued that TV punting would expose children to gambling in the home when they previously would not have been.

"This is another way for gambling to invade every space of life," Mr Costello said.

Gabriela Byrne, a reformed gambler and anti-gambling advocate, believes interactive television betting will extend problem gambling to the younger generation.

"I was quite outraged that the government ... has allowed another device that quite obviously targets ... another generation of gamblers, which are the young people," Ms Byrne said.

"How can we just get more money out of people that can least afford it?"