The deal in question was signed between Entain and NSW Australian Hotels Association (NSW AHA) and it was revealed as a commercial agreement that would allow the two companies to promote Entain Australia’s digital wagering brands – Ladbrokes and Neds – on-site state pubs and clubs.
Commercial Partnership Between Entain and NSW AHA Challenged
At the time, Tabcorp objected that this may go against the grain of its exclusivity wagering agreement with the NSW AHA, and it has bidden its time before bringing legal action. The time may have finally arrived for the local giant to take up arms and challenge the commercial partnership between the two organizations.
The NSW Supreme Court has now granted Tabcorp access to certain documents that have to do with legal advice the Australian Hotels Association and Entain may have received ahead of their planned rollouts of Ladbrokes and Neds-branded betting venues within hotels.
Tabcorp would have access to any documents that detail how this commercial partnership is not in fact encroaching on the type of exclusive wagering agreement Tabcorp maintains with the Australian Hotels Association.
Tabcorp was naturally welcoming of the opportunity to be granted preliminary discovery of the documents that the two companies used in structuring their collaboration. In a statement, the Australian homegrown betting giant said:
The Court also determined that Entain and AHA NSW must give discovery of their legal advice regarding the legality of the agreement between them and arrangements with NSW venues.
Tabcorp
Tabcorp Determined to Get to the Bottom of All
Tabcorp goes a step further to say that it is concerned whether the two entities are not in fact breaching the Unlawful Gambling Act 1998 of New South Wales. The court has agreed that in order to determine whether this is the case, the only way would be to look at the documents that the companies used in structuring their agreement.
“Tabcorp will review the documents disclosed in order to assess whether or not to commence legal proceedings against Entain or AHA NSW, or both, in the Supreme Court,” the statement concluded.