Tom Waterhouse testifies at fraud trial

High-profile bookmaker Tom Waterhouse has told a Sydney jury that a client accused of defrauding a technology company of $9 million was known as a big punter.

He said he stopped taking bets from Andrew John Sigalla in 2009.

Sigalla, 51, has pleaded not guilty in the NSW Supreme Court to 24 charges of using his position dishonestly to gain advantage or cause detriment.

The crown alleges that between December 2006 and March 2009, Sigalla, as the director of ASX-listed company TZ Limited, transferred six-figure sums to other companies, individuals and his sports betting account with Mr Waterhouse.

Prosecutor Patricia McDonald SC said Sigalla owed Mr Waterhouse $1.9 million in late 2008.

The bookmaker was taken through a number of Sigalla betting activity statements, many involving an opening debit balance of more than $1 million.

Sigalla did not have to pay off all his debt before being allowed to continue betting, but he had to pay a certain amount, Mr Waterhouse said.

"He was a known big punter" who also placed bets with other bookmakers.

He recalled meeting Signalla once in the city when the director handed him a cheque, saying "things had been going well, that he had made a lot of money from Macquarie Bank".

The trial is continuing.