Former gaming minister Tony Robinson. Credit:Erin Jonasson Anderson's case involved bets being placed through CrownBet on a minor tournament, the Traralgon Challenger, in 2016. The 19-year-old admitted to throwing the first set of a match to help a friend with a bet. He pleaded guilty and was not convicted. Mr Robinson's complaint relates to the involvement of Harold Mitchell as a director of Crown Resorts, which owns CrownBet, and as a board member of Tennis Australia, which Mr Robinson argues contravenes the code of conduct governing the sport. A sporting body must "demonstrate their compliance with national and international codes of conduct and conventions relating to integrity in their sport" to maintain their controlling body approval, according to the commission. The Tennis Anti-Corruption Program states that no "covered person" - meaning any player, related person, or tournament support personnel - can be employed by a company which accepts wagers.

Mr Robinson also argues that Tennis Australia has not done enough to stamp out match fixing, as sport bets can still be made on matches in minor tournaments. "As long as these betting opportunities remain intact it is inevitable that more players in minor tournaments will be approached to fix matches," Mr Robinson says in the complaint. Mr Robinson, the minister from 2007 to 2010, has regularly voiced his concerns about the risks gambling poses to sports integrity, including when sporting bodies are sponsored by gaming companies. Tennis Australia needs the gambling watchdog's authorisation to hold tournaments that bets can be placed on, including the Australian Open. Under standard agreements negotiated between controlling bodies and wagering companies, five per cent of gross wagering profits from bets placed on Australian competitions are paid back to the body. It is unclear whether similar conditions are attached to Tennis Australia agreements with such companies.

Insiders consider it unlikely that Tennis Australia will be stripped of its authorisation, but the commission could recommend that the body tighten its integrity measures. The Tennis Integrity Unit confirmed to Fairfax Media that it had reviewed Mr Mitchell's involvement with Tennis Australia, but found it did not breach protocols. An integrity unit spokesman did not clarify further. There is no suggestion Mr Mitchell, a media industry heavyweight who writes a business column for Fairfax Media, is involved in any wrongdoing. His office did not respond to a request for comment. A commission spokeswoman said that any claim that an organisation was failing to adhere to its obligations as a sports controlling body were taken seriously. "All complaints are handled systematically to ensure investigative policies and procedures are followed," she said.

"After receiving a complaint regarding Tennis Australia's status as a sports controlling body, as per standard protocols, the VCGLR commenced an investigation, which is in its final stages." Tennis Australia is believed to have only been made aware of the investigation in recent days. "We are comfortable that the result of the investigation [will] reflect the VCGLR's confidence in our ability as the sports controlling body for tennis in Australia," a Tennis Australia spokeswoman said. The Anderson case raised serious questions about the integrity of the sport. But tennis and law enforcement sources believe that rather than shining a light on endemic corruption, it proved how difficult it was to fix matches within Australia. The Tennis Integrity Unit list of about 30 players suspended or who have finished sanctions because of corruption offences includes five Australians, most of which are linked to two match fixing investigations - the probe that netted former top-200 player Nick Lindahl, and the Anderson case.

Both cases were pursued by Victoria Police, whose sporting integrity intelligence unit is considered one of the best equipped to deal with sports corruption in international policing.