Former AFL participant Easton Wooden has thrown his help behind an opt-out clause that provides gamers the facility to refuse to take part in playing promoting.
Key factors:
- A small variety of AFL gamers have opted out of showing in promotional materials for main sponsor SportsBet
- Former Bulldogs captain Easton Wooden stated he would make the identical resolution if he have been enjoying as we speak
- The AFL Gamers Affiliation believes the league has struck the proper steadiness with the clause
A lot of present AFL gamers have chosen to decide out of getting their picture utilized in AFL-authorised promotional materials for main sponsor SportsBet.
Wooden, the previous Western Bulldogs premiership captain, spoke out towards the prevalence of playing promoting throughout his enjoying profession, earlier than he retired from the sport in 2021.
He says the presence of betting in sport is uncontrolled.
“They’re seamlessly built-in into the printed — each break, there’s promoting on the TV, and there is promoting across the stadium,” he stated.
“And the place that considerations me is that youngsters … are watching our sport — even my very own children.
“I believe it is a harmful factor to develop up and to be uncovered to these items to the purpose the place you reside in a world the place playing and the AFL are synonymous with one another.”
Wooden stated he couldn’t recall if he selected to decide out of getting his picture linked with SportsBet promoting, or if he was even conscious of the choice, whereas he was enjoying.
However he stated he would “completely” and “unequivocally” decide out if he had the choice as we speak.
“Is not it telling that there’s a sponsor of one thing that requires [players] to have an opt-out clause, as a result of it may be damaging to someone’s model?” he stated.
“What does that say in regards to the affiliation with the model the AFL?”
The opt-out clause has been in place since 2019.
Talking on ABC Radio Melbourne on Thursday, AFL Gamers Affiliation CEO Paul Marsh confirmed a small variety of gamers had opted out.
However he stated the quantity might enhance.
“This can be a complicated challenge, however we do suppose we have struck a steadiness right here,” he stated.
“Gamers do share financially in these offers, and the fact is betting corporations are making some huge cash out of betting on soccer, so we predict that is truthful.
“However for some gamers there are ethical points round this, or different causes, so we’ve struck a steadiness the place gamers can decide out of it.”
Some AFL golf equipment have pledged to not settle for cash from playing corporations, however ABC Investigations has revealed Crown Resorts is providing sponsorship offers to a number of golf equipment, which may see them abandon that stance.
The AFL has been contacted for remark.
