“At last year’s AGM, I said I supported a national tote. We are seeking to deliver it,” McLachlan told investors.
“We’re engaging with state racing bodies, and I remain optimistic we can make a national tote a reality in FY26 [the 2026 financial year ending June 30 next year].”
Tabcorp’s rejuvenation of its physical betting presence was evident at Sydney’s Everest race last weekend.Credit: Getty Images
In its note on Tabcorp before the AGM, the ASA said it was opposed to the remuneration report for several reasons, including that McLachlan’s pay was “not reasonably within typical benchmarks”. It also criticised the design of McLachlan’s long-term bonus scheme, and it opposed the grant of long-term share options to McLachlan.
“The ASA does not favour the use of options because their pricing is opaque and can result in outlandish payouts well in excess of the ordinary shareholder’s experience,” it said.
Tabcorp’s chairman also pointed to McLachlan’s cutting 230 staff and strategic reset of the business as important platforms for the rising share price.
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“Twelve months ago, I said we’d focus on running a profitable, competitive business. And that’s exactly what Gill and the team have delivered this year.”
McLachlan last year stepped into a business that had just reported a $1.36 billion loss after significant asset writedowns. Tabcorp is suffering from a shrinking wagering business, a tired network of TAB shops and pub outlets, and an underperforming betting app.
He promised to rejuvenate the 3700 TAB outlets and use this legacy network to take on the digital competition with an offering that uses all of its services.
This includes engineering the biggest-ever change in its commercial relationship with the hospitality industry by drastically reducing the commissions pubs receive from gambling. Tabcorp instead plans to spruce up the outlets and spend millions of dollars on advertising to lure more patrons into the pubs.
Another big drawcard of Tabcorp’s new strategy is to introduce in-play betting on pub punters’ mobile phones – a feature none of its sports betting rivals can match, which are currently being trialled in NSW.
His other major plan for this year, a national tote, would deliver a larger volume of wagering and allow more sophisticated betting options for punters. This would help Tabcorp more effectively compete against sports betting, which is growing in popularity among younger customers.
Tabcorp shares were trading slightly lower at $1.05 at 1.45pm AEDT.
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