The collapse of online gambling companies’ shares finds the heads of the Israel Sports Betting Board in a very good mood. Sports Betting Board chairman Gideon Brickman told “Globes”, “The decision by the US Senate to ban credit card payments proves that all our actions in the past year against illegal gambling must continue without let-up.”
Brickman said that just three weeks ago, he asked the Israel Police commissioner and the State Prosecutor’s Office to find a way to enforce the ban on illegal gambling. “In view of what happened over the weekend, I believe that this is a good time to send a bill to the Knesset, and hit illegal gambling in Israel.”
“Globes”: Do you think you’d have been able to grow rapidly were it not for illegal gambling?
Brickman: “I have no doubt. Revenue from our website has grown 260% over the past year, accounting for 7% of our total revenue. We predict that online revenue will account for 12% of revenue in 2007. Irrespective of competition, I believe that the moment credit cards will not be permitted to pay for online gambling in Israel, our website will be worth another NIS 300-400 million a year, which means NIS 100 million for sports. We’ll have NIS 1.4 billion revenue this year, an all-time high.”
How did you feel when you read the papers about the blow suffered by the online gambling companies?
“I felt good. It gave immense strength to continue fighting these companies.”
Do you think a monopoly of government companies is normal?
“You don’t have to look at it that way. You should look at it as money going to sports. The company provides NIS 40 million a year for sports, and Toto alone provides NIS 350 million. We’re the lifeblood of sports.”
Do you really believe that it’s possible to fight this, and interfere with people’s activities on their computers?
“Unquestionably. The evidence is the US. If they’ve passed a law banning the use of credit cards, we can do the same. If the US government carris out its threat, it should work here too.”
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on October 3, 2006
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