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NRL set to land $30 million windfall from new turnover deal with betting agencies The NRL are on the brink of finalising a rich and trailblazing new deal with betting agencies that is expected to net the code more than $30 million over the next three years. Officials at Rugby League Central have seized on the terms of incoming state government legislation dictating how the proceeds of betting should be directed to sports themselves to switch from a percentage of profit model to a take of bookmakers' turnover on the game. New three-year agreements with Tabcorp and corporate bookies are forecast to increase the NRL's slice from gambling operators from $5 million a year to between $10m and $12m annually. The NRL and other sports have been eager to change their betting income arrangements since the landmark High Court case won by Racing NSW in 2012 that saw millions poured into racing via the introduction of a fee of 1.5 per cent of turnover enforced on agencies. The long-existing NRL deal only returns the code a 5 per cent piece of bookies' profits on rugby league betting, which amounts to a far less generous figure given the low profit margins with wagering on the game. Exactly what percentage of turnover agencies will now have to fork out to the NRL was on Friday unclear but there will be a sliding scale in place with lower rates paid to the governing body for standard bets, such as head-to-head and higher rates for more exotic wagers. Betting on rugby league is such big business the TAB has previously reported it holds on average more than $1 million for every Monday night match, its most popular game of the week, and holds nearly $200 million each season. Other estimates place the total turnover for betting on league each round at more than $30m. The NRL is the first Australian code to strike turnover deals but it has been a long-term objective of the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports, which represents the likes of the NRL, AFL, soccer and rugby. "The sports have all expressed a wish to receive a higher share of income that's generated from betting on their products," COMPPS executive director Malcolm Speed said. "The team sports are still well behind racing in the percentage they receive and the team sports would like to bridge the gap. "As betting has grown they are in a position to command a higher percentage. It's good to see that they're now doing better." The new deals have been begrudgingly accepted by bookmakers. "We knew this was coming and it's been mooted for a while," said Gerard Daffy of UBet. "We know the world is a changing place and I don't think anyone would argue that any sport is not entitled to their share of the revenue stream. No one will tell you that they like paying more but most of us can see the logic behind it and have an understanding." There is concern, however, about the prominence of unlicensed offshore betting agencies, which unlike Australian operators - who have integrity agreements with the NRL - are not regulated. Daffy says there are more gambling agencies taking bets on rugby league overseas, including the Caribbean islands and Sweden, than in Australia itself. "Their big problem is not what goes on here, it's what goes on elsewhere," he said. "There's now about 100 bookies in the world that now bet on AFL and rugby league and they contribute zero. Some of them bet on a lot of options that we're not allowed to in regards to our agreement with the NRL. I'm hearing of bookmakers overseas that are taking bets off individuals in excess of $20,000 in games of rugby league and AFL." Daffy also believes the NRL must tighten up its policy around the naming of teams, which occurs on Tuesday night. Teams that have played on Monday night are named less than 24 hours later despite often having no resemblance to the line-up that will actually take the field in the following round. "It's a two-way street and we expect things in return," he said. Speed said COMPPS and the sports had been arguing for several years for changes to the Interactive Gambling Act in an effort to make local agencies more competitive against their foreign rivals by enabling them to have online in-play betting. "It's a weakness in the system and we've arguing that it should be rectified," Speed said. |
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NRL could net $10 million a season in deal with betting agencies The NRL will become the first major professional sport in Australia to sign off on a landmark deal with betting agencies that could net the code $30 million over the next three years. The NRL has been in negotiations with 16 betting agencies around the country including Tabcorp, Sportsbet and William Hill to secure a bigger share of money bet on the game. The NRL has been without a wagering partner since it severed ties with Tabcorp and a deal fell over with Tom Waterhouse in 2013 but it still receives a chunk of revenue from agencies. What is significant about the new arrangement is that it will be based on turnover, as opposed to profit as it had been in the past. This is expected to double the funds generated for the code from betting agencies. The current *arrangement is netting about $5m each season. The Weekend Australian understands that the NRL has already reached agreement with most of the 16 agencies and an official announcement is only weeks away. All parties have worked closely with the NSW government, which is expected to introduce regu*lations to support the new agreement. The contracts will still give the NRL control over the types of bets that can be made and also the right to veto any bets that may encourage illegal betting activity. The NRL has had these powers for a number of years but they will be officially formalised under the new agreement, which is signed by each agency. The NRL has had its problems in the past with illegal betting on games, most famously in a match between North Queensland and Canterbury in Townsville in 2010. Bulldogs prop Ryan Tandy was subsequently found guilty in court of match-fixing and banned from the sport for life after suspicious betting activity on the first scoring play. More than 95 per cent of the money on that market was held on a Cowboys penalty goal. Tandy came under scrutiny after losing possession and giving away a penalty in kicking distance. The sting failed to come off after the Cowboys chose to run the ball and scored a try instead. The game had an issue last year with a number of players who were caught betting on games following an audit of the betting records of 1500 players, staff and officials. It led to Manly winger David Williams being suspended for the rest of the season after he was found guilty of betting on games he was involved in. North Queensland backrower Ethan Lowe and lower graders Cody Nelson (Gold Coast) and Slade Griffin and Hymel Hunt (Melbourne) all received two-game bans. The NRL’s move could have ramifications for other sports it is affiliated with in COMPPS (the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports), which includes the AFL, ARU, FFA, Cricket Australia, Netball Australia and Tennis Australia. |
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NRL deal with betting agencies could pour $30m back into rugby league NRL chief Dave Smith is on the verge of scoring more than $30 million from corporate bookmakers to pour back into rugby league. Under a breakthrough deal being finalised with betting agencies, the NRL will double its take from bets on matches. Sources familiar with the negotiations said three-year agreements had been reached with most agencies, including Tabcorp. The new deals are based on a percentage of betting turnover going back to the game rather than a percentage of the agencies’ profits. One source said instead of the NRL receiving about $5 million a year, its take would grow to between $10 million and $12 million. The deals will enable the NRL to retain control over the types of bets made on rugby league, allowing the game’s administrators to veto bets that might encourage *illegal activity. One industry source warned the deals could result in tighter odds for punters, as betting agency margins on rugby league were smaller than in racing. |
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