Dear Mr Todd Greenberg,

As CEO of the NRL are you aware that many corporate bookmakers (some of which are your commercial partners) close or restrict accounts of winning gamblers/ gamblers who do not lose enough? I’m of the belief that the most important stakeholder in your game is the supporting public, a considerable amount of your supporters would place a bet on your sport throughout the season. Protection of your supporters when they have a wager on your sport would be very high on your agenda I’m sure.

A ‘gamble’ is defined as ‘to stake or risk money, or anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance’. The problem we have when wagering on your sport is there is no chance element, if you win (amounts of bets and time vary), your account can be immediately limited or closed. There is only one side of the coin you can be on long term and that’s the losing side. This issue is the basis for many involving wagering in your sport; lack of clarity around identities gambling, offshore gambling, untraceable bets, match/ spot fixing and huge exploitation of problem gamblers by bookmakers here in Australia.

Clearly with this in mind, the NRL could not condone this behaviour, the question is, what will the NRL do about this issue?

Please see the accompanying letter that I sent to Social Services Minister Alan Trudge.

Of the two options contained, which would the NRL support?

Gambling on sport is a big community issue now and the NRL must take corporate bookmakers conduct seriously. I look forward to your response.

Many thanks,

Luke MacDonald