Gambling companies are preparing to ramp up their use of harmful inducements that encourage people to spend more money, in response to the AFL’s push for a bigger slice of gambling revenue.
Earlier this week, Guardian Australia revealed AFL executives had cited concerns about serious shortcomings in the integrity system to justify a campaign to seize a bigger share of money gambled on its games.
Documents seen by Guardian Australia showed the AFL initially wanted to charge all bookmakers a minimum annual fee of $20,0000. For some, this was lowered to $3,000 in 2025, $5,000 in 2026 and $7,000 in 2027. While that was small change for large bookmakers, it was a significant hit for smaller operators that typically focus on horse racing.
James Filgate, a Victorian bookmaker who runs the brand JimmyBet, said he had refrained from sending inducements to customers for many years. That will now change, he said, in response to the AFL’s plan to seize more gambling money.
“The only way to increase my turnover would be to introduce and advertise an incentive program on the AFL product to increase my turnover by twentyfold, for viability,” Filgate said.
“The reality is if we don’t offer the AFL product, our wagering business becomes less attractive to my clients who demand a selection of products. This will create less competition in the market, if businesses like mine don’t bet on the [AFL] or fold.”
Guardian Australia has been told other small bookmakers are planning to use inducements to help replace the money sent to the AFL under a new deal.
Filgate also warned the AFL may be in the midst of building an “irreversible” dependence on cash from gambling companies.
Inducements, or “targeted generosities”, are promotions such as bonus bets or deposit matches that are designed to encourage people to gamble. These are often promoted to amateur gamblers, who are more likely to lose.
Almost 18 months ago, a bipartisan federal inquiry led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy called for inducements to be banned “without delay”.
The Wesley Mission general manager, Jim Wackett, said the threat of increased inducements demonstrated why federal government action in response to the Murphy inquiry was overdue.
“If the AFL is going to squeeze bookmakers for more money to fix their broken integrity system, all that means is that the bookmakers will in turn squeeze punters more and more,” Wackett said.
Samantha Thomas, a public health academic who specialises in gambling at Deakin University, said the dispute showed why a national gambling regulator “with the sole purpose of reducing harm” was required, as also recommended by the Murphy inquiry.
“We are in increasingly dangerous territory when discussions seem to be more about who will profit from gambling, rather than how can we do all we can to prevent gambling-related harms,” Thomas said.
Filgate suggested the AFL’s push for more gambling money had undermined its social licence.
“The AFL has a social responsibility to all its supporters of the game and its partners to ween itself from the gambling revenue, before its dependence is irreversible,” Filgate said.
“I don’t understand why the AFL is wanting to go down this path to budget a financial scenario where it becomes dependent on gambling revenue, especially as a growing number of clubs have listened to members and moved away from pokies.”
The AFL has been contacted for comment.
A December 2024 document seen by Guardian Australia reveals the AFL has expressed alarm about an “unprecedented” increase in “integrity risks” posed by the wagering industry, which has exploded in popularity since the pandemic with more than 80 bookmakers now taking bets on its games.
The documents reveal the AFL lacks “visibility across a broad cross section of betting turnover” and only sees the “tip of the iceberg”. It has also raised concern about several “bottlenecks” and “blindspots” that have prevented it from quickly detecting if players, coaches and staff are betting on games or sharing sensitive information.
• In Australia, Gambling Help Online is available on 1800 858 858. The National Debt Helpline is at 1800 007 007. In the UK, support for problem gambling can be found via the NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic on 020 7381 7722, or GamCare on 0808 8020 133. In the US, call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 800-GAMBLER or text 800GAM
