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Basketball Australia chief executive Larry Sengstock says the NBL will be in a better position to oversee betting on NBL games thanks to a new sponsorship deal with Centrebet.
Sports betting has come under the spotlight in recent weeks since Pakistani cricketers were implicated in a “spot-fixing” scandal where they were allegedly paid sums of money to bowl no-balls on particular deliveries.
While that centred on illegal betting, the NRL is also investigating suspicious bets placed with registered agencies on a regular season match between Canterbury and North Queensland where a highly unusual amount of money was placed on a low percentage first scoring option.
But Sengstock believes that by signing the two year deal with a major betting agency, the league has more control over dubious betting practices.
He also issued a warning to all players – if you break the rules in place regarding betting, you will face harsh penalties.
“What it does is rather than shying away from the issue, we are saying ‘let’s get out there and control what we’re doing’,” he told AAP.
“It’s pretty important and it’s part of the business, and you take the decision when you accept it to put all the right policies in place to make sure it does work.”
Players and officials at all levels will be made aware of the penalties and dangers involved in associating with bookmakers and taking part in fixing specific parts of games.
“We’ll certainly be working and talking to the players to make sure it does work, they need to totally understand what the situation is,” he said.
“Once you put the rules in place and everybody is aware of those rules, then you’ve got to have penalties that back you up on it.”
Many of the major codes, including the NRL and AFL, have agreements with betting agencies.
Apart from the NRL’s ongoing investigation, the AFL sanctioned six people involved with the game including Port Adelaide assistant coach Matthew Primus, for betting on matches in 2009 and 2010.
Basketball, particularly in the US college system, has been subject to point shaving, a type of match fixing where those involved try to prevent a team from covering a published point spread.
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