Re: Nathan Bock betting investigation
I understand that Bocky (and Maxwell) were bloody stupid in the sense that players had been warned not to share 'sensitive information' that could lead to betting irregularities, and they deserve their fines for being stupid, but...
I don't like how footy being (over)run by the gambling industry means that that the needs of the betting industry dictates to players what they can and cannot say to people. If there was no betting on games, Maxwell and Bock can bloody well tell their wives where they're lining up on the weekend, but because people are allowed to bet on this crap, they can't mention that most innocent of facts? (Shaw's was different because he actually bet himself, so I'm leaving his case out of my point.) I don't bet, but I'm morally indifferent to the average 'who wins, who loses' punt, but exotic bets that are susceptible to insider information should simply be banned, rather than being an imposition on what players (and coaches and medical staff and trainers and runners) can or cannot say to other people.
I'm sick of how footy has become, like everything else, a total slave to where the money comes from, and dirty money in a lot of these cases (in the sense that it's an industry that preys on addicts). The only reason the AFL 'investigates' this as seriously as it does (as compared to salary cap breaches or Scully's dad getting a cushy gig with GWS) is because the betting agencies lose money on this crap so crack the whip. I mean, they pretend it's about 'integrity' or some shit, but we're not that stupid are we.
I understand that Bocky (and Maxwell) were bloody stupid in the sense that players had been warned not to share 'sensitive information' that could lead to betting irregularities, and they deserve their fines for being stupid, but...
I don't like how footy being (over)run by the gambling industry means that that the needs of the betting industry dictates to players what they can and cannot say to people. If there was no betting on games, Maxwell and Bock can bloody well tell their wives where they're lining up on the weekend, but because people are allowed to bet on this crap, they can't mention that most innocent of facts? (Shaw's was different because he actually bet himself, so I'm leaving his case out of my point.) I don't bet, but I'm morally indifferent to the average 'who wins, who loses' punt, but exotic bets that are susceptible to insider information should simply be banned, rather than being an imposition on what players (and coaches and medical staff and trainers and runners) can or cannot say to other people.
I'm sick of how footy has become, like everything else, a total slave to where the money comes from, and dirty money in a lot of these cases (in the sense that it's an industry that preys on addicts). The only reason the AFL 'investigates' this as seriously as it does (as compared to salary cap breaches or Scully's dad getting a cushy gig with GWS) is because the betting agencies lose money on this crap so crack the whip. I mean, they pretend it's about 'integrity' or some shit, but we're not that stupid are we.
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