Americans Kiss Centerbet goodbye

[Joser]

One of my favorite outs(Centrebet) has 'merged' with a bigger company and will no longer be accepting bets from the USA. Apparently the US Gov't has more sway over Australia that I had previously thought...

The letter i recieved is below

---------------------------------------------
Dear Client,

Centrebet is now associated with a major Australian public company, Jupiters
Limited, with effect from 9 November 1998. After six years of sustained
growth it is timely to re-capitalise the business for the exciting future
we see ahead of us. As a consequence, all the rights and obligations of
Centrebet Pty Ltd (ACN 073 009 677) existing under your contract with it have
been assigned to Centrebet Pty Ltd (ACN 082 760 610), a subsidiary of
Jupiters Limited.

Jupiters is a well established and highly regarded gaming company listed on
the Australian Stock Exchange, with interests in casinos, networked keno and
technology development. Jupiters has been expanding in recent years and it
sees Centrebet as an exciting opportunity that has significant growth
potential.
However, Jupiters is mindful of USA legislation which may make it illegal
for both you as a client and Centrebet as a sports bookmaker to undertake
business together. In the face of a hostile legal environment, Centrebet
regrets that it will cease to offer a bookmaking service to USA-based clients
from 10 November 1998.

>From that date, no new bets will be accepted from clients such as yourself
who are based in the USA. Undecided wagers will not be affected and winning
bets will be credited to client accounts in the normal manner.

Would you please contact Centrebet to make arrangements for your account to
be closed and any balance to be remitted to your bank account.
The legislative restrictions only apply to persons placing bets from within
the USA, not to USA citizens per se. Accordingly, Centrebet web site is being
amended to advise clients from around the world that it will not be able to
accept bets when clients are within the USA. Clients located other than in the
USA are not affected by this restriction.

Centrebet believes the legislative restrictions applying to USA domiciled
persons are excessively onerous and we are hopeful that in due course they
will be repealed and a fairer and more competitive environment will emerge.

Centrebet wishes to thank you for your past support and regrets any
inconvenience caused by these events.

Should you have any queries or concerns, please feel free to contact us at
usaclients@centrebet.com or any Centrebet staff at any time.

Yours faithfully,

TERRY LILLIS
GENERAL MANAGER

[Newsboy]

Just terrible. At least, we're getting our money back.
I wonder if others will also be bullied.

Thanks, Washington.

[ShiftySheik]

I don't think the US Gov't has any sway with Australian books. Jupiters' probably makes so much money from their casinos that they just don't need US sports bettors. I read that they have a market cap of 675 million aussie dollars.

[Paul]

They are just being pro-active and avoiding any possible problems. American bettors are a very small minority who they really dont need.

[neversaynever]

I too was dissapointed with Centrebets decision. It was one of my two favorite and most used books, Canbet being the second.

My feelings on the decision is two-fold, first I believe they never showed a large profit from taking wagers from Americans, there clientle was mostly sharp players which hurt there hold. And secondly the are going to be making so much money with the online Casino that American handle wasn't that important.

I contacted Canbet and they plan to keep taking wagers from the U.S. I just can't wait till there online program is approved by the Aussie govt. From what they say it will allow one to place bets over the telephone or internet on one account.

good luck, and death to kyl

[redtep]

This is a very sad development - Centrebet was the first internet sports book I used. Their site wasn't as sophisticated as others but these guys took large wagers (unlike some operators) and did other things to make them unique - like updating odds on golf tournaments after each round. Their new owners must be rather "yellow" or have operators with U.S. ties - virtually every other operator in Austrailia (including the state-run TAB's) are willing to take American action. I don't understand this at all - both Humphrey and Nixon lose their elections and we still have our accounts closed.

[tim]

What is the U.S. Government going to do, bomb Australia for taking sports bets from U.S. citizens? What a bunch of pussies...

[rfd]

U.S.Government threatened to send all the out of work NBA players to Australia to impregnate their citizens.

rfd

[Hartley]

Well, Australia was originally formed as a British colony for hardened criminals, so maybe they just don't want any more international hassles http://www.bettorsworld.com/ubb/smile.gif.

Fortunately being from Canada I can still bet with Centrebet. The one thing you may notice is that they will still take bets from U.S. citizens, they just won't take bets placed in the U.S. So maybe Joser or others can bet through someone in Canada via. e-mail or something similar. Any relatives this way Joser?