The chairman of the National Rugby League (NRL), Peter V’landys, has faced anti-gambling campaigners’ fierce criticism over his open pursuit of gambling revenue, with his critics denouncing his “wagering content” description of sport as counterproductive and scandalous.
Mr V’landys gave an interview for the Sydney Morning Herald, saying that opening next season in Las Vegas would allow the NRL to develop new broadcast and gambling markets on the territory of the US. According to him, some Americans were looking for betting content in different timezones, and Australia’s National Rugby League was perfect for such customers.
He further noted that, in his opinion, two major strands could be exploited by the NRL to get extra revenue and a potential partnership with a betting operator that could help the League monetise its efforts. According to Mr V’landys, customers who bet on the product, would also subscribe to the broadcast.
Monash University’s associate professor of public health Charles Livingston explained that the push for a US expansion compromised a few clubs’ and players’ efforts to tackle the volume of gambling advertising at stadiums. According to him, the NRL is now willing to maximise the revenue it gets from gambling, taking advantage of its relationships with gambling operators.
NRL Willing to Monetise on Potential US Expansion Despite Criticism
So far, a number of rugby clubs have made an effort to distance themselves from the gambling industry. In a move to cut their ties to the gambling sector, they have agreed to stop accepting money from betting operators, as part of the Reclaim the Game initiative of the New South Wales (NSW) Government. Some have even suspended gambling advertising materials on grounds and removed any sponsorship signage from clubs’ shirts.
The long-time anti-gambling advocate Tim Costello, who is also an official representative of the Alliance for Gambling Reform group, also criticised Mr V’landys, saying that the fact that the head of the NRL seemed “obsessed” with finding new ways to create further ties between the League and the Gambling industry was simply appalling, considering the massive harm inflicted to the local community. Mr Costello shared that such association changed the way people saw sport, especially young people who are usually more susceptible to harm and many of whom now followed the game not to support their favourite team but to place bets on the club’s performance.
The chairman of Australia’s National Rugby League rejected suggestions that he had made the future of the NRL reliant on gambling revenue, saying that gambling services were only one side of the massive revenue base that has increased from about AU$15 million to AU$50 million a year. As Mr V’landys further noted that the generated revenue was redirected to players, clubs, and participation.
According to some market investors and analysts, the US expansion plan of the National Rugby League could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars in gambling and sponsorship revenue and broadcast fees. The planned expansion is still subject to negotiations and discussions. The overseas expansion has been backed by many of the largest sports betting companies in Australia, although they would not be able to draw direct benefits from such a move.
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Daniel Williams
