"This periodic review is part of a broader schedule involving other sports controlling bodies, many of whom have already been reviewed by the VCGLR," he said.

A spokesman for the AFL said, "the AFL is currently completing a routine VCGLR review of its integrity processes and policies".

Should the AFL lose its status as a sports controlling body it would lose the legal right to demand money from bookmakers taking bets on AFL matches and all forms of legal betting on AFL matches and awards, currently running into tens of millions of dollars, would be in jeopardy.

Matt Sheens, manager of risk and intelligence compliance at the gambling commission, responded to Mr Robinson on February 16 and said while its investigation of the AFL Rising Star Award did not "identify a breach of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003, it did highlight an area of regulatory concern for the Commission. As a result of this, the Commission will be conducting further enquiries into the AFL's ongoing suitability as a Sports Controlling Body".

Mr Robinson wrote that while the AFL rules banned the leaking of sensitive team selection information, there were no similar rules for AFL awards and betting.

Mr Robinson's email to the AFL on September 7 said "it has been reported that the odds on the winner – Lewis Taylor from the Brisbane Lions – shortened considerably in the days leading up to the event held last Wednesday."

"It has also been reported on Melbourne radio this weekend that an AFL employee may have been in contact with a reporter from the Courier Mail in the days prior to the Award strongly encouraging the paper to be represented at the event. While there has been no suggestion that the advice divulged the winner of the award the representation – if it was made – could have been construed as advice suggesting that a Brisbane nominee for the award would be successful," the email said.

"As well as examining this matter to see if bets placed on the winner are in any way related to the reported contact between the AFL and the Courier Mail I draw your attention to a potential weakness in the AFL's Gaming Policy," Mr Robinson wrote.

Mr Robinson's email said Section 4 of the policy refers to inside information and "it would seem to me that the AFL's policy needs to extend this section's wording to cover awards".

The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation said status as a sports controlling body meant, "restricting sports betting providers from offering betting services on a previously approved sporting event, six months after a sports controlling body is approved for that sporting event without prior agreement with the approved sports controlling body".