Australian gambling firms deny claims they offered drugs, alcohol to former NRL star

• Following testimonies of widespread disregard of the duty of care in sports betting firms in Australia, betting firms respond
• Allegations by an anti-gambling advocate and a former NRL star have been rebuffed by Sportsbet and Tabcorp
• The companies have urged anyone with evidence to support those claims to provide it to the firms for further investigation

Australian gambling firms have responded to claims by a former National Rugby League athlete, Luke Bateman, and anti-gambling advocate Tim Costello that they have offered drugs, cocaine and sex as part of keeping high-roller players going, or that events attended by such gamblers revealed a culture of drug use.

Claims that companies exercised no care, offered drugs and alcohol are not true, betting firms say

Tabcorp and Sportsbet spoke out on the issue, arguing that Costello and Bateman’s claims were meritless and not supported by evidence.

Bateman and Costello told an inquiry looking into gambling-related harm in the country that those allegations, as well as claims that they exercised "no duty of care to their customers," were not true.

The response came only a day after the testimony’s information was reported, with Bateman specifically naming the companies in his story, which prompted a stern rebuttal of the claim by the gambling firms.

On Tuesday, Jules Norton Selzer, who is the Director of Corporate Affairs at Sportsbet, appeared before the inquiry and swiftly rebuffed the claim, arguing that there was no evidence to substantiate the claims put forward by Bateman and Costello.

"No information has been provided to us beyond what was referenced yesterday, and we will gladly investigate it," Seltez noted, arguing that Sportsbet was prepared to look into the issue and ensure that - were that the case - those responsible faced the consequences of their actions.

"Our objective is for adult customers to enjoy our product safely and responsibly, and that is why we continue to support measures to reduce underage exposure and strengthen consumer protections across the range of federal and state regulatory models that we operate within," Seltez further explained.

Tabcorp disagrees with Bateman and Costello, urges for evidence to be provided

Tabcorp struck a similar tone, with Julian Whealing, the company’s own Head of Government Affairs, urging anyone who had evidence of Bateman and Costello’s claims to provide them. At the time of the hearing, Whealing stated flatly that no such evidence had been provided.

The debate comes at a fraught time for gambling firms in Australia, with the Albanese government seeking to enact tougher rules and ensure that customers are further protected from gambling-related harm.

Australia has been looking to tighten the screws on potentially harmful activities and the people behind them. Among the latest initiatives has been a commitment to target influencers who promote illegal gambling.

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