NSW bookmakers can apply to bet over the internet 24/7 but punters needn't bother searching cyberspace to find a bagman willing to bet. Racing NSW announced on its website yesterday that bookies could apply to the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing to bet around the clock, but the move was met with derision by bagmen at Canterbury. ''There will not be one bookmaker apply for it,'' Robbie Waterhouse said. ''If I wanted to set up an internet service, the office of gaming and racing would lose all respect for me. They'd think I was a fool - why wouldn't I set up in the Northern Territory like all the other 'corporates'? All the corporates are able to offer tote-type products. We still can't offer what they can offer, they can bet on elections too, they can work from an office. They are licensed in the Northern Territory but corporates like Centrebet, Sportingbet, Betezy, even the TAB's Luxbet have offices in Sydney.'' NSW bookmakers must operate out of a racecourse or licensed betting auditorium to take up the internet option. Betting ring elder Bill Murphy added: ''I'm an accountant and I can tell you it wouldn't be worth setting up an office on a racecourse. I'm not going to drive to Rosehill racecourse in the middle of the night to check what is happening on the internet.'' Courtesy of CRAIG YOUNG of the SMH, 11/03/2010
Trackdata adds: Interesting to note that the only bookmaker operating at the Betting Auditorium at Randwick Racecourse last Saturday was Con Kafataris, who is due to retire from the Sydney Ring at the end of the Easter Carnival. 
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24 HOUR BETTING COMES TOO LATE FOR NSW BOOKIES