I bet you won’t believe what’s going on in the bowls

I’m exaggerating the enormity of this scandal but should we really be surprised?

2009 has been the year of sports betting. The ascendancy of sports betting from office sweep foolery to the sporting mainstream has been remarkable. Betting agencies at their prerogative are intent on solidifying an online presence and buying up sport sponsorship is its preferred method.

Incredulously, and presumably without much discussion with major sporting codes, commercial television networks have insidiously installed odds and spreads at regular intervals throughout live telecasts and magazine style ‘analysis’ broadcasts.

Aside from the problem gambling connotations associated with the promotion of betting, national sporting codes accept sponsorship money from betting agencies at their own peril.

One implication that a major Australian sporting event has been compromised due to a rumoured betting deal, points shaving scheme or the tanking of a game and you can kiss all credibility goodbye.

That includes code administrators, players, club officials and you’d be a fool to suggest that fans of said code wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire. Although other high profile codes might be reluctant to put the boot in in case its own sport was implicated in the future.

In what has been a year of regret for leaguies nationwide, imagine if the National Rugby League had been linked to betting related tanking or a points shaving scandal this season.

The code would be reduced to ‘bush’ league status quicker than Kanye could interrupt Chief Executive David Gallop’s 1148th teary and no doubt sincere appeal for forgiveness.

Without delving into Mark Waugh and Shane Warne’s 1994 adventures with an Indian bookie or rumours of elite athletes drowned in debt, these are serious concerns for Australia’s sporting codes.

Codes need to ramp up betting education for players, club administrators and staff; to establish clear guidelines and develop new policy such as placing caps on betting agency involvement/influence in sport.

The tanking Black Jack bowlers’ might have opened the NZ sporting elite to a few more light hearted cross-Tasman gibes, but it serves as a warning to all Australian sporting codes that betting scandals are a real threat.