Lottoland urges Australian government to revise proposed ban

Lottoland is calling on the Australian federal government to review its proposed ban within the country, after raising concerns over the financial security of the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA).

The new legislation wouldn’t permit Australians to bet on the outcome of international lotteries, with ALNA heavily lobbying for a ban which it has previous labelled as a “positive note”.

However Luke Brill, the CEO of Lottoland Australia, has cast doubt over the parent company of ALNA, stating that previously unseen documents from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) show that it is “facing financial ruin”.

Brill commented: “These ASIC documents raise serious questions about the financial situation at ALNA and its ability to continue to operate as a going concern, let alone to represent the interest of its members.

“According to ALNA’s own auditors, the organisation is in financial disarray, with the auditors telling ASIC that there is ‘significant uncertainty’ as to whether the group will continue as a going concern.”

Mr Brill also casts doubt on the 4,000 membership number of ALNA, with the ASIC records showing that it is in fact much lower: “We’re shocked and disappointed to find out that a body that the government believes has over 4,000 newsagents nationally as members has in fact only 707 paid members – about 80 per cent less than claimed.

“This raises major questions about the true intent of ALNA and whether it has misled not just the government and others MPs, but whether it has also misled the public.”

Furthermore, Brill has also accused ALNA of acting against the interest of newsagents, by advocating laws that would hand Tatts, who recently merged with Tabcorp, an “unprecedented monopoly”.

Urging the government to reconsider proposed legislation: “Rather than address the shocking state of its financial affairs, ALNA has inexplicably taken part in a $5 million lobbying campaign to convince the government to ban online lottery betting, which will leave newsagents at the mercy of a Tabcorp monopoly.

“Given these revelations, we are asking the Government to put a stop to the planned legislation and start listening to newsagents on the ground.”