A controversial new betting agency launched by Gold Coast Titans will not be allowed to offer odds on judiciary hearings such as last week's Cam Smith case.
The Titans, who anticipate an annual $3 million boost from the online gambling operation, stunned rival clubs when they announced a joint venture with Betezy.
Punters can bet with Titanbet on the grand final. Manly and Melbourne, the combatants in Sunday's premiership decider, said last night they were likely to follow suit. But the NRL said strict conditions would be placed on any arrangement entered into by clubs, including the right to prevent certain types of bets, such as the one that infuriated Storm officials last week when Sportingbet offered odds on whether or not Smith would be suspended at the judiciary.
"While we accept that sports betting is a reality and that clubs are looking to build revenue streams, we will retain the right to examine each proposal on a case-by-case basis," NRL chief executive David Gallop said.
The move by the Titans comes just weeks after the NRL prevented the Sea Eagles entering into a $2m major sponsorship deal with Betchoice. Officially, the deal was not allowed because it conflicted with the NRL's arrangement with TAB Sportsbet but it is understood the league does not want clubs wearing the name of betting agencies on their jerseys for moral reasons.
Titans CEO Michael Searle anticipated criticism of the club's move into gambling but argued that bookmaking organisations were making money from betting on sport, including the NRL, so they might as well profit.
"There's no point being half pregnant so we've decided to take it to the next level by entering into a joint venture with a bookmaking agency," Searle said.
"Unlike other clubs, we don't rely on money from poker machines and I believe this is an opportunity to get a foothold into the growing gambling market within Australia for the benefit of rugby league."
Searle said the revenue stream created from the joint venture would fund both the football club and its charity arm, the Gold Coast Titans Community Foundation. He said Titansbet.com.au had agreed to implement certain safeguards to guarantee the integrity of the game and the players, while the club would sign a betting integrity and product fee agreement similar to those between the NRL and both Tabcorp and Betfair.
The NRL has insisted the Titans have no exposure to profit or loss from betting on a single match.
With betting in the Northern Territory expected to turn over more than $4 billion this financial year, other clubs have been approached about entering into similar partnerships. It is understood some clubs have been told they could earn $4.5 million per year from such a deal.
"It's something we've already looked at and we will consider more closely after the grand final," Manly CEO Grant Mayer said.
Melbourne Storm CEO Brian Waldron said: "It's something I envisage we will get involved with too at some stage."
Media Man Australia Profiles
NRL
Sports Betting
Sporting Bet
Betfair
Sports News
Australian Sports Entertainment
