Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has lashed the AFL over its stance on sports betting, which he described as the "biggest scourge in our community".

The former Victorian premier believes issues associated with gambling have overtaken mental health as the biggest challenge in the game, while his Greater Western Sydney counterpart Tony Shepherd has called for more regulation.

"Sports betting is the biggest scourge in our community": Jeff Kennett. Credit:Darrian Traynor

Kennett, whose club collects more money from poker machines than any other in the league, is concerned about the volume of betting advertising during broadcasts of games.

The AFL has an estimated $10 million deal with corporate sports bookmaker Crownbet, which runs live odds on the league's website during games, while broadcasters Channel Seven and Fox Footy have their own betting partners.