SOME bookies want a ban on people placing bets in pubs. The Home Department has undertaken a review of gambling legislation during the last few years and it is understood that three of the island’s seven bookmakers called for the ban at the final meeting before the report is due to go to the States next week.

The three had not mentioned their concerns about the role of pubs during the consultation process and the department did not think the issue was a problem, so it did not include it in the report.

It is understood that Home would not back a ban unless a majority of bookmakers wanted it or if a breach of the code of practice stated in the report had taken place.

One bookmaker, who asked not to be named, said a ban would actually be damaging for him.

‘It would certainly affect my business if it happened,’ he said.

‘At the meeting there were four of us who were against it.

‘The ones who wanted the ban have hardly got any pubs and they think it would be to their advantage because they think people would go into the bookies more often.

‘But it would definitely not be good for us because a lot of our business comes from people placing bets in pubs.’

He said he could not see any reason why a ban should be put in place.

‘I remember being a young man and putting a bet on while having a pint,’ he said.

‘It’s been like this for about 50 years. It’s always been the case that you could put a bet on in a pub in Guernsey and I don’t see why it should change.

‘I would not be in favour of any change and I don’t think any of the other four bookies that have links with pubs would either.’

Rockmount owner Dave Nussbaumer was angered by the proposal.

‘The bookmakers who want this are just doing it for their own pockets,’ he said yesterday.

‘All that would change is that people would phone up their bookmakers from the pub.

‘It’s absolute stupidity and pure jealousy that they have not got all the business.

‘I think they should concentrate on improving the standards of their own business so that, maybe, more people would go into the bookies.’

Home minister Geoff Mahy said the department had three main principles to which bookmakers and agents must adhere.

They must keep gambling crime-free and ensure that their operations are subject to rules in respect to money laundering and financial probity.

They must ensure that gambling is fair and transparent.

And they must protect children and vulnerable adults.

‘Authorised agents have operated in Guernsey for many years and this report states that they will be able to do so subject to the codes of practice that will follow this report,’ Deputy Mahy said.

‘If we thought there was a serious problem relating to this part of gambling in Guernsey, we would have addressed it in the report.’

* The three bookmakers reported to be proposing the ban refused to comment yesterday.