The launch of Punters Promise landed with a simple email from the TAB, understandable as it will affect only a small percentage of those who bet on New Zealand racing.
It hailed the end of frustrating restrictions for winning punters, which often meant punters were restricted to winning a few hundred dollars, even less, on racing and sporting events when they were trying to place bets to win much more.
Punters Promise, a self-imposed new minimum win limit imposed by the TAB themselves, means any customer betting on their TAB account is allowed to win a minimum of $2000 in a single fixed odds win bet on any New Zealand horse or dog race.
Most people will never bet to that level nor should they. Most importantly, punters should find their own level and with racing being an entertainment for most they should treat betting the same way they treat going to the movies or out for dinner: money traded for a good time.
But there are a small percentage of punters who take betting more seriously.
They like to invest more and have the disposal income to do so, and there are plenty of racehorse owners who want to back their own horse for more than the restricted amounts which is an important lure of actually owning a horse.
These punters, should they win even semi regularly, are often inhibited by restrictions that are incredibly frustrating and make them fume at the TAB.
Of course the TAB isn't alone in restricting winning punters, it is standard practice in the bookmaking industry worldwide, and while the ethics of letting people lose as much as they want but only win set amounts are questionable, because most punters don't win over an extended period the restrictions don't affect them.
But the punters it does affect tend to be the bigger, more regular punters and the TAB restrictions here, which reached farcical levels as the new website and betting framework were bedding in, have now been relaxed.
The $2000 minimum fixed odds win limit, with the option to bet again at the readjusted price, is up with the best in the world, especially considering the smaller size of the New Zealand gaming market and the TAB should be congratulated for make the change of their own accord.
It is a good thing. A very good thing.