Bad bet: Gambling lobby donated $11,000 to Labor before Qld tax hit
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Bad bet: Gambling lobby donated $11,000 to Labor before Qld tax hit
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A gambling lobby group has criticised the Palaszczuk government’s planned tax changes only days after donating $11,000 to the Labor Party.
Electoral Commission of Queensland records show the group that calls itself Responsible Wagering Australia declared a financial contribution to the state branch of the Labor Party on June 2.
The group – which represents Entain, Betfair, bet365, Sportsbet, Unibet and PointsBet – was paying for membership of the party’s controversial Queensland Business Partnerships Network.
Within days, however, the group would claim to have been blindsided by the government’s announcement it would raise gambling taxes.
On Monday, Treasurer Cameron Dick announced the point of consumption tax on wagering companies would rise from 15 per cent to 20 per cent and be broadened to include free and bonus bets.
He said it was about “levelling the playing field” and making all companies that make money out of gambling pay their fair share.
“We’ve seen the influx of new online betting companies – we see that almost every night, in ads on our television and also ads that pop up on our phone,” Dick told reporters on Monday.
“The existing point of consumption betting tax captures some of that growing revenue but not enough to make up for what they are taking away from the TAB and from racing in Queensland.”
The lobby group, which previously made several donations to the Liberal National Party, criticised the announcement, which it said came “without any consultation with the online wagering industry”.
“Such significant tax changes unfairly entrench the monopoly enjoyed by established and land-based wagering service providers at the expense of the new and emerging online industry,” Responsible Wagering Australia said in a statement.
Partly as a consequence of the government’s decision, Tabcorp shares rose on Monday. The company has also donated to both major parties in Queensland.
Dick, who will hand down the state budget on June 21, said Racing Queensland would benefit from an increase in funding.
The government recently announced changes to casino laws which could also deliver a financial windfall.
