A subtle tweak of policy by Sportsbet has embroiled a three-time premiership captain and an emerging female voice who judged last year’s Norm Smith medal
Sportsbet signage during an AFL game. The gambling company changed its rules this week as the spotlight falls on those in the footy industry who have roles with wagering companies.
AFL Sportsbet, Australia’s largest sports betting company and one of the AFL’s major partners, changed its rules this week in response to. Although there is no suggestion he has ever been compromised, Foot was forced to step down from his role offering horse racing analysis.
“Nick has appeared on our ‘Get On’ racing coverage in a racing‑only capacity,” a Sportsbet spokesperson said on Monday. “Following feedback, we’ve decided to no longer feature any serving sports administrators or officials in our programming, to ensure clear separation from their official roles.
” The company’s move triggered a cascading reaction that has heaped pressure on other betting companies and individuals, and raised questions about just what a serving sports administrator or official is, and when conflicts – perceived or actual – become too much. Kane Cornes stepped down from his role as an AFL All-Australian selector in order to keep his role with Sportsbet.
“I really enjoy the work at Sportsbet,” the former Port Adelaide player told Channel Seven on Tuesday. “Now that Sportsbet have made the policy change they did, there was no other option. ”Cornes hosts a Sportsbet weekly production with former AFLW player and Triple M commentator Kate McCarthy.
The 33-year-old is currently a selector for the AFLW All-Australian team and was part of the esteemed group of five judges who McCarthy declined to comment to the Guardian on Thursday when asked to clarify her roles with the AFL and Sportsbet. She published an article on the Sportsbet website on Wednesday, appearing to signal she – like Cornes – would remain with Sportsbet.
She did not appear on her regular show alongside Cornes, however, when it was uploaded on Wednesday. Host Jason Richardson addressed her absence, saying she was sick.
“We’re one superstar down in K-Mac , get well soon. ” If McCarthy stays with Sportsbet, the company’s policy change makes it impossible for her to be involved in Norm Smith voting again while working with the wagering company. Sportsbet’s public statements also bring into question her place on the AFLW All-Australian panel.
Neither the AFL or Sportsbet, however, have an issue with her remaining in that role given Sportsbet does not offer betting on All-Australian selections in the women’s competition. The saga has now also engulfed others. Former Brisbane captain Luke Hodge works with Tabcorp and was appointed an AFL All-Australian selector in February on the panel alongside Cornes. Hodge was asked directly by journalist Caroline Wilson on Tuesday night whether he would follow Cornes’s lead.
“I haven’t had any notice of that from TAB or any of their employees with any official role,” he said on Channel Seven. “I only just heard of Kane’s before. ” Hodge and Tabcorp did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday as the company – which is now managed by chief executive Gillon McLachlan, the long-time AFL executive – became the focus of a new betting scandal.
The company lost a quarter of its share price after it reported to the ASX it was being investigated by Austrac due to “serious concerns” from the regulator over its ability to manage risks around money laundering and terrorism financing. No others have recused themselves from official roles with the AFL since Cornes’s announcement, but the situation has drawn criticism from some within the game. Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire called on the AFL to clarify the situation.
“How about if the AFL comes out and says from here on in, if you are getting a payment from a betting company you are disqualified from voting on any award or being involved in anything that has a betting component,” he told Channel Nine on Tuesday on the Footy Classified program, which has featured Tab-sponsored segments. Despite the growing presence of betting within AFL, not all football analysts have chosen to align themselves with the bookmaking sector.
Channel Seven’s Abbey Holmes, the former AFLW player who sits alongside Hodge on the AFL All-Australian panel, shared a personal story on the Gambler’s Help website in 2020, describing a close friend’s gambling addiction.
“I hope that by sharing his story, we can raise some awareness and provide hope for anyone else out there who might be struggling with this horrible addiction,” she said.
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