Tabcorp is preparing to launch live testing of its One Pool initiative on 24 September, bringing Australia’s three regional totalisator betting pools closer to operating as a single national wagering system.
The first trials will take place at race meetings in Tamworth, New South Wales, and Warwick, Queensland. The company has not yet confirmed which individual races will use the combined pool during the initial testing phase.
One Pool will consolidate NSW TAB, SuperTAB and UniTAB, replacing separate regional betting pools with a unified structure designed to deliver consistent dividends across participating jurisdictions.
NSW TAB serves New South Wales, while SuperTAB operates across Victoria, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. UniTAB covers Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. Together, the three systems encompass every Australian state and mainland territory.
Tabcorp Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan and Chief Wagering Officer Michael Fitzsimons have overseen the project, with an agreement reached in July following nine months of negotiations involving the company’s board and racing authorities representing thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing.
The initiative forms part of Tabcorp’s broader modernisation of its TAB wagering platform and Sky Racing broadcasting services.
Testing Schedule and Technology Upgrade
Tabcorp will use the September trials to assess technology developed jointly by its wagering division and BetMakers, which provides racing data and risk management solutions. BetMakers has previously tested the technology for pricing Tabcorp’s international racing pools.
The companies have also agreed to a proposed A$250 million acquisition of BetMakers by Tabcorp, intended to strengthen the operator’s technology infrastructure and support its wagering transformation.
Following the initial meetings, testing is expected to expand across selected thoroughbred, harness and greyhound fixtures. A full day of domestic trials is provisionally scheduled for 28 September.
If the system performs as expected, Tabcorp is targeting 3–4 October for the official launch of One Pool.
The completed rollout is expected to introduce updated Sky Racing broadcast graphics showing fixed odds alongside a single national tote dividend. These changes will accompany the transition from separate regional wagering pools to the consolidated national system.
National Pool Aims to Reverse Tote Betting Decline
The project comes as Tabcorp seeks to address declining demand for totalisator wagering amid competition from fixed-odds betting and online bookmakers.
The company’s tote pools have been shrinking by approximately 5–6% annually. Their contribution to Tabcorp’s group revenue has also declined from 50% in the 2021/22 financial year to approximately one-third.
By combining wagers previously distributed across three regional pools, Tabcorp expects to increase liquidity and reduce dividend volatility. Larger pools should make payouts less sensitive to individual bets while allowing customers across participating jurisdictions to receive the same dividend for the same winning selection.
The company also sees opportunities to develop tote-exclusive betting products, offer larger jackpots and expand international pooling arrangements.
Fitzsimons has identified the national system as the foundation for introducing these changes, with the potential to generate stronger returns for racing stakeholders over time.
For Tabcorp, the immediate priority is completing the testing programme and establishing a reliable national wagering platform ahead of the planned October rollout.