Warne escapes punishment for promoting gambling site

MELBOURNE: Aussie spin legend Shane Warne has escaped punishment for promoting an illegal gambling site after regulators closed the matter by shutting down the website.

Pokercricket.com was deemed illegal by the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation after an investigation.

"It is illegal to offer or advertise in Victoria the playing of interactive games," executive commissioner Peter Cohen was quoted by the 'Herald Sun' as saying.

"Gambling is a strictly regulated business and we would expect all people to comply with legislation, whether they are high profile or not," he added.

The regulators decided not to punish Warne after his management took off the website from the Internet.

The website was launched by Warne in June last year and children had easy access to the site.

Meanwhile, Warne's manager James Erskine was miffed with the media spotlight on the case and reacted angrily to queries on the ruling.

"Stop being a weasel and get a proper job," he was quoted as saying.