News acquired Punters three or four years ago and Racenet deal was sorted 15 months ago.

The transaction was delayed several months as the ACCC investigated to approve.

ACCC investigation of buy-out of Racenet

Thanks to antitab for the background.

It is a little surprising that the decision on the buyout was not well publicized -- some forum commentators were clearly unaware.

Was the ACCC report published -- is it available etc.

Some implications are a bit slow unfolding -- presumably the sense of publishing Sportsman is on the line.

Can we also get a line on the ownership of 'independent' form services remaining in hard copy-- for example Bet Busters, WinningPost, BestBets, TheForm (smh)

Thanks 'sobig'


............... both Winning Post and Best Bets are probably slated for oblivion as 'hard copy' editions ....... but, as is, probably explains why news-corpse continues to print Sportsman ahead of all three going on-line and living on or not.

A first step would be a copy of the report of the ACCC investigation

I have asked for a copy.

Last week Stephen Mayne put a comment on Crikey,

With the 100% Murdoch-owned racenet.com.au and punters.com.au, News Corp has gone heavily into gambling and gaming (wagering) as a key profit centre in Australia.

This drew a comment on a racing industry forum,

News acquired Punters three or four years ago and Racenet deal was sorted 15 months ago.

The transaction was delayed several months as the ACCC investigated to approve.

My question is about having access to the report of the ACCC investigation  -- is that possible please?

I was booted out, I didn't really have a view on the Everest race itself, so far they have been lucky that a Black caviar hasn't turned up, if one does they may find it hard to sell slots......to me and I am sure to 99% of punters it's just another race, as a punter if you back a $5 winner of the Everest you get the same money in your account as you do from a $5 winner of a Wyong maiden, judge the race on it's merits when the final field is announced and it has been a good race in the 3 years that it has been run so far, it was just the reporting on the Everest like that was all anyone was thinking about months or even a year out, no other race has had the coverage that the Everest gets, not even the Melbourne Cup back when the Cup really was "The race that stops a nation"
I have known about censorship on racenet from the beginning but it wasn't until they got so blatant with the Everest Coverage that it got sickening so I called them on it and was banned,
I thought "cash for comment" was illegal unless you stated that it was paid advertising, hasn't Alan Jones and John laws been burned for that multiple times? I use Racing and Sports more now......and Racing Rant where they really do "tell it like it is" and you can say what you like, even if they don't agree with you they never censor anything you have to say, I highly recommend them to any racing enthusiast and this is NOT "cash for Comment" I pay them a subscription fee($5 a week) they don't pay me............don't tell Pete though, if they find out I sent Pete to them they might ban me! Just kidding Pete........

Consolidating the news-corpse stable

............ it seems there is some 'cost cutting'  and repositioning going on that is affecting the quality of the products.

I do not see much sense in the the owner of 'the lot' continuing to publish the lot.

...... a possible shot across the bows today was the local TAB not having 'Bet Busters' available .... 'it costs too much and not in demand' .....  if Glenn Robbins sold his racing business interests to news-corpse, BB may be part of 'the lot' slated for burial.

Is Bet-Busters being withdrawn?

                            -- who owns it now -- has the price been increased?

As news-corpse consolidates its investment in 'racing media', familiar content seems to be withheld or repriced -- are TAB agencies cancelling subscriptions to Bet-Busters?

I can see no point in a monopoly position in the 'racing media' competing against itself.

To avoid attention, the rationalization will be gradual but inexorable.

... at some point news-corpse may demand that RNSW stop subsidizing 'the form' published in the SMH on Fridays .

.......... at some point the ACCC should step in to proscribe news-corpse enforcing a monopoly on media form guides.

People who know should speak up -- the risk of media interests corrupting  Australian racing need to be  recognized and addressed -- now.

'big bookies' is suspect for its 'lays'

So you are saying Peter that the big bookies come on to Racenet and give their "lays", knowing full well that these are their best bets and that they are hoping that people will not back them and that will benefit the bookies financially?

You do know how bookmaking works with percentages and all that?

Can't wait for your head to explode when Foxbet becomes the new biggest player in town.

Oh well, I’ll have to find a new black book which, given the errors the current one is riddled with,  is no loss   

The problem I have with racenet now is the navigation

For example,in the past when I would click on “Taree R5” in the image below it would take me directly to that race

Now it takes me to “today’s racing” where I then have to click on Taree and the the race number. Sudden it’s 3 extra steps

No doubt about Murdoch....he is consistent.
Remember Pay TV.....no adds we were told.....become as bad as commercial TV
Murdoch destroyed Super Rugby ..Didn't have a clue about the game and stated publicly that he couldn't care if no one went to the game.
Tried to get his puppets installed into power  when the Broadcasting rights were up for renewal.

Can't see what info Punters could be offering that's not available freely on Racing.com, RNSW or Hong Kong....etc
Murdoch couldn't care less about people who put money on horses.....remember that.

I'll be interested to see if this goes anywhere......but we will never ever know will we?
Surely there can't that many stupid gullible punters out there.....could there?????

What on earth is a Murdoch forum????      
Wonder what country he'll turn to to deal with complaints.

Was a great day in my life when he lost the rugby......I wouldn't give him 1 cent.