Kevin Hillier says its time to tackle the gambling monster
I wrote last week about how the business of sport is killing off our natural passion making sport less of a pastime and more a preferred vocation. But the other thing that, in my opinion, is having a negative impact on sport is gambling. The betting monster is definitely the elephant in the room, as kids are being conditioned to think gambling is a normal part of the games they follow. Unfortunately, it is.
I am not a wowser, nor am I anti gambling. But I do think we need to put into perspective where it sits in the importance of enjoying sport. I like horse racing and I like a bet, but I don’t watch the races just for the gambling. I like to see the country tracks, follow different horses and jockeys and enjoy the total experience.
To me, the punting is secondary. When I was growing up, racing was the only thing you could bet on and I have no interest in betting on any other sport. Take footy, for instance: all I care about is the Bulldogs winning. I don’t care about the margin, who scored the first goal or anything else you are able to bet on.
There are frequent stories about match -fixing in a number of sports and claims of players and officials taking money to affect the outcome of games. That’s not sport; that’s criminal activity. I just want sport and the result to be the focus, not how much money you might win because no-one ever talks about how much you can lose.
Catch-22 for clubs
Sporting organisations have embraced the corporate bookmakers because they have very deep pockets and are pouring millions into sponsorship. It’s a Catch-22 for any sporting club, and not many have taken the high moral ground and refused the big dollars. After all, they are running businesses.
And the media is saturated with ads for betting agencies. But they, too, are in business. I accept that gambling is now part of the picture, but I think we need to do more than offer a throwaway line of ‘gamble responsibly’ to put the monster back in its place. The most important win in sport should be achieved on the field, not in your betting account. ■
If you have any news or events, let me know at kevin@howdypartnersmedia. com.au
