Aussie bookie criticised for supporting local clubs

Anti-gambling groups in Australia have slammed local online bookmaker MadBookie for its partnership with a dozen local sports club in which the company pays 25 percent of its club players’ losses to the clubs.

MadBookie also offers the clubs upfront financial sponsorship including internal advertising, and sponsoring club events or competitions. Club members are given specific codes which enables MadBookie to identify them as club members and pay their clubs a percentage of their losses.

A slew of anti-gambling and problem gambling groups criticised the arrangement, accusing MadBookie of everything from being “parasitic” and encouraging problem gambling to promoting gambling to the under aged in something of an over-reaction that was quickly seized upon by the Aussie media.

Defending the practice, MadBookie manager Ollie Roberts said:

“The simple goal of this partnership is not to promote irresponsible gambling nor push our brand to under age members, instead it is to give adult members who currently use the TAB or an online bookmaker the option of switching to a service that will financially benefit their club, in the event they don’t win,”

He revealed that one of the clubs in partnership with MadBookie had already received A$12,000 in cash backs in the last six months.

Political reaction was also forthcoming, with the Victoria province minister for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, Jane Garrett asking the responsible gambling foundation and the gambling regulator to carry out an enquiry into MadBookie’s activity with the clubs.

“I’m worried about the impact it could have on grassroots sporting clubs,” she said.