Chickens coming home to roost re betting

[thejiggingsaint]

The latest scandals surrounding professional sport in Australia, are a direct consequence of sporting clubs and their administrations grabbing the sponsorship dollars made available from betting companies. We saw the future with sport and gambling interests in bed together, when Waugh and Warne were involved in "shady" doings with an Indian bookie. The dreadful events of this week have shown just how insidious the influence of big time gambling is upon the pressures to win on the part of sporting teams and individuals. Time to accept that while we all may enjoy a punt on sport from time to time, it's also time that someone in Sports administration had the "henry halls" to do the right thing and kick gambling interests out of Sport, or at the very least, rein in the amount of power they appear to now have gained.

[Solar]

Interesting topic and personally I hate to say it but the AFL seem to have the right balance. If you refuse to bring the gambling outlets on board then you have no access to information when plunges happen, who is putting on bets etc. Does taking money effect this transaction and lead to the AFL looking the other way? Perhaps but if so then all gambling advertising needs to be stopped. But thats a different kettle of fish.

As least the players have full knowledge on what to do when approached.

[Leo.J]

The latest scandals surrounding professional sport in Australia, are a direct consequence of sporting clubs and their administrations grabbing the sponsorship dollars made available from betting companies. We saw the future with sport and gambling interests in bed together, when Waugh and Warne were involved in "shady" doings with an Indian bookie. The dreadful events of this week have shown just how insidious the influence of big time gambling is upon the pressures to win on the part of sporting teams and individuals. Time to accept that while we all may enjoy a punt on sport from time to time, it's also time that someone in Sports administration had the "henry halls" to do the right thing and kick gambling interests out of Sport, or at the very least, rein in the amount of power they appear to now have gained.

Maybe ban offshore betting in Australia on Australian sport.

[BigMart]

I hate betting of any sort.... Not sure why people even do it?!

Watching your team winning ain't enough, feed the gambling habit to try and make a quick buck...

Should be banned.

[whiskers3614]

I hate betting of any sort.... Not sure why people even do it?!

Watching your team winning ain't enough, feed the gambling habit to try and make a quick buck...

Should be banned.

How else can you watch a GC vs Pt Adelaide match?

[SuperDuper]

IMO it is a disgrace that the betting agency are allowed to advertise . Anywhere> the AFL is addicted to their money though

[Rosco]

If you make gambling on sport illegal, then illegal gambling will thrive. That is more likely to result in match fixing.

[thejiggingsaint]

I wouldn't contemplate for a minute to "ban" gambling on sport. Just as I would not contemplate a ban on alcohol to stop problem drinking. I am simply saying that the betting agencies need to be subjected to much stricter controls than are in place at present. Gambling, like alcohol can provide enjoyable entertainment IN MODERATION. Society has the right, and the responsibility to say when enough is enough and we are seeing the effects of slackness in controlling these elements being played out at the moment. We can do something NOW to rein in the betting agencies, or suffer the consequences down the track.

[ausfatcat]

If you make gambling on sport illegal, then illegal gambling will thrive. That is more likely to result in match fixing.

exactly legite companies wont risk their legit business in doing illegal activities, illegal business's wont care

also how does betting directly relate to potential doping at Essendon?

[kosifantutti]

If you make gambling on sport illegal, then illegal gambling will thrive. That is more likely to result in match fixing.

exactly legite companies wont risk their legit business in doing illegal activities, illegal business's wont care

also how does betting directly relate to potential doping at Essendon?

Yes, I can't see how any of this relates to the Saints sponsorship by Centrebet.

[ausfatcat]

when Waugh and Warne were involved in "shady" doings with an Indian ILLEGAL bookie.

added the bold tect for context

[gringo]

It's ok Plugger ridiculed me when I suggested that there would be match fixing in footy in the next few years. He knows all.

[Enrico_Misso]

It is clear we need an exit strategy for one of our major sponsors.

Betting on sport is on the nose.

[thejiggingsaint]

How does betting directly relate to doping Ausfatcat? I'm not sure if (alleged) doping at Essendon actually has a DIRECT link to betting, but with SO much money to be made from gambling, and the spectre of organised crime hovering about, it would appear that the pressures being exerted on clubs to win have ramped up considerably.

[saint75]

You can't ban gambling, it will just make the issue worse if it is not available legally. They do need to rein in control and to stop pushing it so much. I don't bet on sport (have better things to throw my money away on), but I don't begrudge others that do it responsibly. However, when I am watching footy (or any spot or that matter) live or on the television I DO NOT WANT TO SEE IT SPLASHED ACROSS THE SCREEN EVERY 5 MINUTES. Absolutely drives me insane and it is completely unnecessary. Most people who gamble have either an online account or are in the vicinity of a licensed betting agency and have access to the current odds. Those of us that don't wish to punt on the game don't need to see these odds every flippin' 5 minutes!!

[Dr Spaceman]

You can't ban gambling, it will just make the issue worse if it is not available legally. They do need to rein in control and to stop pushing it so much. I don't bet on sport (have better things to throw my money away on), but I don't begrudge others that do it responsibly. However, when I am watching footy (or any spot or that matter) live or on the television I DO NOT WANT TO SEE IT SPLASHED ACROSS THE SCREEN EVERY 5 MINUTES. Absolutely drives me insane and it is completely unnecessary. Most people who gamble have either an online account or are in the vicinity of a licensed betting agency and have access to the current odds. Those of us that don't wish to punt on the game don't need to see these odds every flippin' 5 minutes!!

Spot on.

[thejiggingsaint]

Yes, SPOT ON! I can remember back in 2001, when before each game I would routinely place a $5 bet on the Saints to win, just that, no "1st goal, 1st tackle, 1/4 time score etc etc etc etc, just a simple punt on the final result. As you will all recall from our form of that season, the bookies were never going to be bankrupted by the Jiggster It was a wee bit of fun, thats all. Of late, we have witnessed gambling and betting agencies having more and more of a profile in all manner of sporting matters, and its just my humble opinion that when gambling gets too big a profile the game suffers. Just my opinion. One only has to see the events of the last few years within the horse racing "industry" and the stench of corruption there to see what can happen if something is not done ASAP.
I wouldn't contemplate "banning" gambling per-se for a minute, but the influence of big time betting companies needs to be reined in BUT QUICK!

[Con Gorozidis]

My issue is the game is simply not as enjoyable as it once was as a direct result of betting advertising.
The constant crosses to check the odds and betting advertisements and commentators discussing this really reduces my enjoyment of the tv telecast.

[stevie]

I read this the other day on the Niners forum, in the wake of our Super Bowl loss. It's very interesting even a year old...

http://spaces.covers.com/blog/MaximumWi ... rofit.html

[ausfatcat]

How does betting directly relate to doping Ausfatcat? I'm not sure if (alleged) doping at Essendon actually has a DIRECT link to betting, but with SO much money to be made from gambling, and the spectre of organised crime hovering about, it would appear that the pressures being exerted on clubs to win have ramped up considerably.

totally agree it doesn't the op insinuated it did I was asking the same question how does it?

[bergholt]

I read this the other day on the Niners forum, in the wake of our Super Bowl loss. It's very interesting even a year old...

http://spaces.covers.com/blog/MaximumWi ... rofit.html

It's a good article, I know nothing about NFL but I like the old saying "never bet on anything that can talk". Though I'd include horses in that.

I put bets on ten or fifteen times during most footy seasons but I don't think of them as investments. All this tanking crap, match fixing, whatever - it shouldn't affect the average supporter. Watch the game, who cares if it's fixed?

[Yaysaints]

It's the media that is addicted to gambling money. The updates on tv and sen about the latest odds , even mid- match. I could not care less what the odds are of who wins what by how much. I watch the game, I don't gamble on it.

[loris]

I was listening to a radio interview with the managing director of the Western Australia basketball team...Western something, is it NRL the competition? I'm really not that interested in basketball, but my ears pricked up when the discussion turned to the issue of this team having a betting company as a sponsor.

I have never been comfortable with the Saints having a betting company as a sponsor, especially as the major sponsor. I had written to the Saints about my displeasure and uncomfortable feeling with them aligning themselves to such an industry, considering all the negative issues gambling is associated with. Plus many a time on this site I have raised my concern. Especially the revolting sight of seeing the logo placed above our crest.

Anyway, Loris off your hobby horse and back to this interview with the head honcho of the WA basket ball team!

During this interview a number of issues associated with gaming were covered, spot match fixing, criminality, conflict of interest, morality of subjecting impressionable children by a subtle inculcation through advertising, logos, associating players to gambling etc to a gambling culture.

I was quite surprized by this managing-director's honesty. I bet (excuse the pun) the sponsor wouldn't have been happy to hear some of his straightforward comments.
He said he was not a betting man, and in an ideal world he would prefer the team not to have a betting company as a sponsor. Then went on to talk about the difficulty in getting and maintaining sponsors and at times personal feelings have to compromised to gain sponsorship for a club.

This is the part I was most interested in. He said any visits the team did to schools or any clinics they ran for children, visits to hospitals etc. the players had to wear club gear that did not have the logo of the betting firm on their outfits............... I assume players are given a special set that have omitted the logo.

I thought that was a responsible approach for the club to take in this vexing issue.............. I guess it goes a small way to addressing the problem.

I wonder if the Saints adopt the same approach, for school visits, clinics, community camps, family days etc.? Has anyone who goes to these things noticed if they do. I can see I'll be penning another letter to the Saints, suggesting they do so.

It wasn't mentioned in the interview, but I guess there would have to be some sort of agreement with the sponsor for this to be accepted.

Just a thought folks.

[thejiggingsaint]

And a good reasonable thought it is too Loris! I'm with you!

[Eastern]

If you make gambling on sport illegal, then illegal gambling will thrive. That is more likely to result in match fixing.

YES, betting on cricket is illegal in India. Enough said !!