An ACMA investigation found Sportsbet was not contravening the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (the IGA) when it offered a live betting market during the Brownlow Medal count.
The investigation considered whether Sportsbet had breached the prohibition on online-in-play betting. In-play betting is where bets are accepted on a sporting event after it has commenced, or on a contingency that may or may not happen in the course of a sporting event.
The Brownlow Medal is awarded to the best and fairest player in the AFL season and is determined by the votes awarded by umpires at the end of each match based on the individual performance of players.
In its investigation the ACMA found that while the Brownlow medal count relates to the performance of players in sporting events, the televised presentation is not a sporting event itself, nor is the outcome of the count a contingency that happens in the course of a sporting event. Therefore, providing a betting market on the outcome is not an in-play betting service under the IGA.
The ACMA also looked at betting markets on the Norm Smith Medal (AFL) and Clive Churchill Medal (NRL). As with the Brownlow Medal count, the ACMA did not consider the betting markets on the outcome of these awards to be in-play betting services under the IGA.
The ACMA’s investigation and finding is not related to any Victorian police investigation into the Brownlow medal count.
