Sportsbet Manipulating Their Oblivious Customers

[Chriseddy999]

Hey guys,
I wrote a long, angry comment on Sportsbet's facebook page regarding the image below.



Does it disgust anyone else the way they treat their customers or am I just a Nazi coming from the poker world where most customers are much, much more knowledgeable on the ins and outs of the industry? This was my comment:

"Absolutely sickening angle you’ve chosen here, Sportsbet. Unsurprisingly, you’re manipulating your customers once again. This tax should have NO effect on punters, but should only affect the betting agencies; unless, of course, you decide to cut into punters’ wallets rather than your own. The 15% tax the government speak of is coming from YOUR (Sportsbet’s) annual revenue, not punters’ pockets. In 2015 you mad 117 million dollars in pure profit. That means punters are down 117 million last year and you would want to deceitfully take away MORE from punters with this filth? To try to angle this as “worse odds”, “less promotions” and “less money in your pocket” to your loyal customers is disgraceful. Why would that mean worse odds and less promotions for punters? Is it simply not an option to take the cut yourselves? What a deceitful, slimy and manipulative way to try to get your loyal customers to fight your battle for you. Unbelievable.

This would actually be a great thing for punters; considering every mainstream bookie in Australia restricts/bans anyone who shows a remote chance of winning long term. Customers who are allowed to punt freely (unrestricted) by Sportsbet are known losers, and if they start showing any traits of a winning punter, they will be restricted/banned immediately. That seems pretty unethical when your company thrives off the idea of the average punter one day making some form of income through betting, doesn’t it? How can we do that when you ban anyone with half a clue? How can anyone ever win long term?

It seems to me that you’re worried because governments across Australia are starting to take control of the ridiculous monopoly you have on the industry and the complete lack of respect/courtesy you treat your oblivious customers with. The NSW government have taken a step in the right direction by removing some restrictions you have enforced. The punters have no power whatsoever, and literally cannot win at the game you so unethically insist is beatable.

The entire system requires a massive overhaul, which is inevitably coming. Stunts like this will only make it happen quicker as punters wake up to the lies you’re feeding them."

I don't mention the carefully selected language they use to con so many people into believing them. "Together we can", "#Stopthepunterstax", "Punters Tax" - you can't just label it that when it shouldn't (I'm aware that it could) affect punters. Pretty gross if you ask me.

Thoughts?

 

[Chriseddy999]

Do they have any reps post in here?

 

[Spads]

So, the SA government propose an unprecedented and ridulous tax, and your umbrage is directed at the target of the tax. Critical thinking capacity on full display.

 

[Sausage Legs]

Hey guys,
I wrote a long, angry comment on Sportsbet's facebook page regarding the image below.

View attachment 273156

Does it disgust anyone else the way they treat their customers or am I just a Nazi coming from the poker world where most customers are much, much more knowledgeable on the ins and outs of the industry? This was my comment:

"Absolutely sickening angle you’ve chosen here, Sportsbet. Unsurprisingly, you’re manipulating your customers once again. This tax should have NO effect on punters, but should only affect the betting agencies; unless, of course, you decide to cut into punters’ wallets rather than your own. The 15% tax the government speak of is coming from YOUR (Sportsbet’s) annual revenue, not punters’ pockets. In 2015 you mad 117 million dollars in pure profit. That means punters are down 117 million last year and you would want to deceitfully take away MORE from punters with this filth? To try to angle this as “worse odds”, “less promotions” and “less money in your pocket” to your loyal customers is disgraceful. Why would that mean worse odds and less promotions for punters? Is it simply not an option to take the cut yourselves? What a deceitful, slimy and manipulative way to try to get your loyal customers to fight your battle for you. Unbelievable.

This would actually be a great thing for punters; considering every mainstream bookie in Australia restricts/bans anyone who shows a remote chance of winning long term. Customers who are allowed to punt freely (unrestricted) by Sportsbet are known losers, and if they start showing any traits of a winning punter, they will be restricted/banned immediately. That seems pretty unethical when your company thrives off the idea of the average punter one day making some form of income through betting, doesn’t it? How can we do that when you ban anyone with half a clue? How can anyone ever win long term?

It seems to me that you’re worried because governments across Australia are starting to take control of the ridiculous monopoly you have on the industry and the complete lack of respect/courtesy you treat your oblivious customers with. The NSW government have taken a step in the right direction by removing some restrictions you have enforced. The punters have no power whatsoever, and literally cannot win at the game you so unethically insist is beatable.

The entire system requires a massive overhaul, which is inevitably coming. Stunts like this will only make it happen quicker as punters wake up to the lies you’re feeding them."

I don't mention the carefully selected language they use to con so many people into believing them. "Together we can", "#Stopthepunterstax", "Punters Tax" - you can't just label it that when it shouldn't (I'm aware that it could) affect punters. Pretty gross if you ask me.

Thoughts?

i thought this. the top half anyway. the tax is their problem dont bring us into it.

 

[Richoman Tigers]

I have absolutely no problem with it

 

[iluvparis]

Is anyone surprised some of the costs of the tax would be passed onto the consumer if implemented?

 

[Chriseddy999]

So, the SA government propose an unprecedented and ridulous tax, and your umbrage is directed at the target of the tax. Critical thinking capacity on full display.

Not sure if you fully read the post, but I'll give it a response:

I'm not looking to start arguments here, I'm just genuinely interested in a more gambling-savvy population's response to such blatant propaganda. The language they used is just so misleading and doesn't represent the true situation at all. So yes, my umbrage is absolutely directed at them. Regardless of if it may actually lead to some of the things they mentioned - there's a massive chance that it wouldn't in my opinion.

Is anyone surprised some of the costs of the tax would be passed onto the consumer if implemented?

Nah, I'm not really surprised. But I reckon they should at least get the message across with clarity and describe the situation for what it really is. Not to mention there is a very likely chance that it wouldn't be passed on to the consumer as they would struggle to remain competitive with offshore bookies if this is the case, right? I'm certain it definitely wouldn't result in all 3 of the things they listed.

 

[iluvparis]

I doubt the client base they get most of the $$$ from would switch to offshore bookies once the tax came in.

 

[IKnowtheDog]

Would be interested to know the constitutional implications & ramifications of such legislation and whether the gov't has even looked at things like the constitution concerning such matters.

 

[asanque]

Daily25 have written an article about it.
http://www.daily25.com/sa-point-consumption-tax-view/

TLDR - Will impact bookmakers but not punters

 

[Oraaaaazio]

Steve Morlando (Daily 25) is a mildly intelligent bloke who thinks he's extremely intelligent, half the stuff he writes is fiction and the other half of it is factually incorrect. Take whatever is in that article with a grain of salt, he hasn't a clue what will happen.

 

[Lensen]

the notion that bookies who only care about profit will eat into their profits to save 15% tax is the most *ed thing he's ever written and that covers a lot of ground

 

[Jugada]

Whether or not it will have an effect on punters is debatable (Personally think it will) and while i agree that the bookies trying to get the punters to fix things for them is a bit seedy, the tax grab by the SA government is a joke and they look way worse than the bookies in the whole situation. Everyone knows that utensil Xenophon only has one goal, and that is to abolish all gambling and this will obviously just be the first step in that.

From a punters perspective there is zero upside to this tax (but plenty of room for downside) so i dont get the guys who are championing the government to just stick it up the bookies

 

[Hamingja]

It should all be taken away from the states and regulated on a national basis. I don't know the exact figures but don't the NT government charge a flat operating fee to the corporates of some pissy amount like 250k pa v. the 100+ million pa they are dragging out of Aus in profits each year. In that situation it's not unreasonable they should pay a bit more tax on that. If it was nationally regulated, then ultimately if Sportsbet pass the costs on to the customer and cut right back on promos etc to punters they will just end up William Hill MKII, but most likely SA punters will just get dicked because the market is not big enough to affect them much v the rest of the country.

 

[IKnowtheDog]

Steve Morlando (Daily 25) is a mildly intelligent bloke who thinks he's extremely intelligent, half the stuff he writes is fiction and the other half of it is factually incorrect. Take whatever is in that article with a grain of salt, he hasn't a clue what will happen.

I like the fact that Star City was paying a levy prior to even winning the tender!