Unibet Australia Head of Racing Under Investigation in Widening Betting Fraud Probe

Australian regulators looking into possible betting fraud have seized the phone and laptop belonging to Head of Racing at Unibet Australia, Phil Moyes, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The incident is believed to be related to an ongoing investigation into Sally Snow, a former senior trading manager at Australia’s biggest betting company Tabcorp, as well as her husband, racing tipster Nathan Snow. Social media suggests the Snows and Moyes are firm friends.

Also included in the probe is professional gambler Steve Fletcher who hit the headlines in Australia in 2006 when he and an associate won millions betting on a rugby match between the New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle Knights.

Fletcher denied subsequent accusations they had insider information on a late injury to the Knights’ star player.

Suspected Collusion

According to SMH, regulatory body Racing New South Wales is investigating whether betting lines at Tabcorp were being manipulated to offer better odds on certain horses, at the behest of Fletcher, and also whether the betting limits usually imposed on successful gamblers were removed especially for the notorious gambler.

SMH sources believe the regulator is examining possible links between the betting habits of Moyes, the Snows, and Fletcher, although none of those under investigation have been accused of any wrongdoing.

She has said she will not cooperate with the inquiry and was subsequently banned from all racecourses across Australia and from placing a bet with any bookmaker in the country.

Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys said that Snow’s failure to relinquish her phone “obstructed and hindered them in investigating matters that are potentially of serious concern.”

Contacted by SMH, Unibet general manager Peter Staunton said he was “aware of the inquiry and none of this involves Unibet so we have no comment.”

More Power to Regulators

New rules introduced last year gave regulators greater powers to seize computers or mobile devices for forensic imaging from anyone working within the Australian racing industry if they were suspected of manipulating betting markets or even just placing bets with unlicensed operators.

Racing Australia has yet to press charges in the case, although it is understood that police are now involved in the investigation.

Last year Fletcher was charged with 78 counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception after he was accused of using the identities of numerous police officers to open fake accounts with several betting operators – a matter that appears to be unrelated to the current investigation.