§ MR. S. SMITHI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the new Betting Act in France, which prohibits anyone acting as a commission agent in the matter of bets, or as keeper of a betting office, or as tipster selling information concerning the chances of any racehorses; and whether the Government see their way to propose similar legislation for this country?
§ MR. MATTHEWSYes, Sir; I have seen a copy of the Act in question. I am not sure that the hon. Member has accurately stated its provisions. It appears to me to be confined to cases of public betting offices open to all comers. It is now an offence under 16 and 17 Vict., c. 119, to keep a betting office in this country. I stated, in reply to a question on the 17th of March last, that, while the Government would do their best to enforce the existing law, they do not contemplate legislation on the subject.