Australian Open viewers can have a flutter on the outcome of matches, but they shouldn't expect to hear the latest market updates from commentators.
Unlike the furore during Melbourne's Boxing Day Test, when Channel Nine quoted Betfair's latest odds, Channel Seven does not have a commercial relationship with the online betting agency.
World Vision chief executive Tim Costello and South Australian senator Nick Xenophon were angered by advertisements for betting at the MCG and odds being broadcast live by the Nine Network, but Cricket Australia yesterday played a straight bat when the International Cricket Council weighed into the debate.
"They (the ICC) have talked to us about their concerns, but while we have a relationship with Betfair and with Channel Nine in a formal sense, it's an issue between Betfair and Channel Nine," Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said.
"The concern relates to an arrangement between two parties outside Cricket Australia, albeit two parties that have a relationship with Cricket Australia (and) I'm not privy to the detail."
Betfair's Hugh Taggart defended the comments of cricket commentators, including former Australian captain Richie Benaud, as "a reflection of public opinion" about the match.
"It's not going to suit everyone, but that's up to the viewer and we believe it offers another dimension to the cricket coverage," Mr Taggart said.
"There were odds mentioned last year during the one-day internationals and the Test series, they just weren't given a name or brand-checked as they've done this year."
Mr Taggart said Betfair had a "voluntary product fee arrangement" with Tennis Australia, which pays the organisation a percentage of Betfair's gross profits on matches or markets governed by Tennis Australia.
"We also give them access to our betting records, should there be any kind of integrity concern or suspicion around betting activity (and) that's under a memorandum of understanding we have with all major sports in Australia.
"Insofar as commentary and in-broadcast advertising, we don't have anything in place with Tennis Australia." (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)
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