Clubs treat punters like mugs - bookie
04 April 2007 Herald-Sun
Damian Barrett
RICHMOND'S listing of an injured Nathan Brown in its weekend team was another example of the double standards that applied to AFL wagering, according to a leading bookmaker.
Lasseters Sports' Gerard Daffy said the Brown selection, the late withdrawals of West Coast's Dean Cox and Andrew Embley, and a mistake by an umpire in the Kangaroos-Collingwood game unnecessarily adversely affected bookmakers and punters.
"We've had integrity rammed down own our throats by the AFL since year dot, but it's not a one-way street, this integrity thing," Daffy said.
"They're wanting us to provide open access to all accounts and there is legislation going through parliament in Victoria that will require agencies to pay for the rights to field on football played in that state.
"That's fine, provided some protection comes back to us and the punter.
"We are entitled to feel aggrieved. They take the cash out of the game (about $2 million a year through deals with bookie agencies), the AFL, but offer nothing in return."
The AFL's chief commercial officer Gillon McLachlan said current rules did protect punters and bookmakers.
"Football teams can make changes right up until 40 minutes before the game, and West Coast lodged its team list when it was required to, and when it did, it didn't bring anyone (in from) outside the 25," McLachlan said.
"If people want to bet on football, they know these rules . . . if you are worried about changes, don't bet until the last 40 minutes.
"We are running a football competition for our football supporters, and the rules are designed to ensure the best and fittest players take the field each game."
Daffy said bookmakers and punters were left vulnerable by clubs deliberately listing unavailable players.
"Richmond named Brown in the team to play on the weekend, yet on the same day the Herald Sun's back page was an article saying he would be out of action for a while," Daffy said. "What would have happened if the Herald Sun hadn't ascertained that information?
"Embley and Cox were named in the (Eagles) team but no one expected them to play given the weight of money that came for the Swans -- they were backed off the map.
"Now while that was a good result for bookmakers in the end, we were left wide open."
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21501912%255E19742,00.html
