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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Comment
Tim Costello

The AFL and NRL are pushing aside gambling harm to profit at their fans’ expense

Penrith fans in a stadium
‘There is a stunning resistance to levelling any criticism at our two major sporting codes despite their wholehearted embrace of gambling.’ Photograph: Mark Evans/AAP

At a time when it seems every political leader is happy to join the pile-on against our two major supermarkets, there is a stunning resistance to levelling any criticism at our two major sporting codes despite their wholehearted embrace of gambling and the damage it is causing, especially during a cost-of-living crisis.

The AFL and the NRL are profiting at the expense of their supporters and embedding gambling advertising so deeply within the games that a whole new generation of supporters are indoctrinated in the odds just as much as the code.

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