About a year after Russell Crowe outlined his vision to scrap poker machines at South Sydney Leagues Club, the Rabbitohs are in talks to create a club betting website that encourages supporters to open online betting accounts to gamble on league and other sports.
Newcastle and Cronulla have followed the lead of the Gold Coast in partnering the Northern Territory bookmaker Betezy.com.au in an attempt to improve their bottom line - and now Souths are looking to do likewise.
Parramatta will meet Betezy representatives tomorrow to discuss a similar arrangement, while two other NRL clubs will announce partnerships this week.
All rugby league clubs have been encouraged to explore alternative revenue streams in the wake of the global economic downturn and the impact of pokie taxes but the Rabbitohs' interest in gambling revenue is a huge backflip.
Soon after sweeping to power at Redfern, Gladiator star Crowe declared he wanted Souths Leagues to be a pokie-free zone.
"We are not moralising here, we just believe that low-income areas like Redfern need [fewer] poker machines rather than more," Crowe wrote in a letter to club members in September 2007.
The Oscar winner appears to have had a rethink, with the club deep in talks with Betezy about setting up a Titans-style gambling model.
Crowe has also warned fans he won't finance the club's premiership ambitions indefinitely in a six-minute video sent to Rabbitohs members just before Christmas in an apparent bid to boost the club's membership base.
Betezy.com.au's Ryan Kay would not disclose which clubs he was negotiating with, but confirmed several Australian sporting teams had expressed interest.
"Especially in NSW, leagues clubs are doing it tough with the new pokie tax and the smoking bans," Kay said. "There's a major hole to be filled and we feel we can be a major contributor." (Credit: The Sun-Herald)
*Media management by Media Man Australia
Media Man Australia Profiles
Sports Betting
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Cronulla Sharks
NRL
Sports News
Australian Sports Entertaiment
Australian Sports Entertainment
