The NRL has cost itself up to $40 million after appointing an official wagering partner without going through a proper tendering process.

The governing body renewed its agreement with Sportsbet until the end of 2020 on a deal valued at more than $60 million. However, the decision to award the rights without offering rival agencies the opportunity to negotiate could cost the game tens of millions of dollars, at a time when Rugby League Central posted an $18.7 million deficit in 2015.

Several major betting agencies wanted to be involved in the bid process in the hope of becoming rugby league's official partner, a relationship that secures the holder first rights to advertise with official broadcast partners Channel Nine and Fox Sports, as well as radio outlets. However, there was no competitive tension in negotiations with Sportsbet because the NRL refused to entertain rival bidders.

CrownBet was one of the parties willing to pay big money to become rugby league's official betting partner. The firm, the only online bookmaker that is 100 per cent Australian owned and operated, was already the official wagering partner of the AFL and had made significant financial investments in rugby league, as a major stakeholder in South Sydney and the Melbourne Storm.