Possible betting scandal

[fargy]

Iaccobucci is a former AFL player. Should absolutely know better.

Haha I agree, but I just want to know if VFL players get any education! I'm not defending anyone in any way It's just personal curiosity!

 

[Morris Major]

Having a VFL player bet against the AFL affiliated team using an AFL player's phone.

What a huge deal. This is why we as a society need to sometimes not jump on everyone straight away.

There's close enough association to make the whole thing seem very sinister.

If we're in finance it's potentially insider trading.

A VFL player did it? Well Lachie's betting account is his responsibility.

 

[DexterTan]

Look at it this way. If someone used your account without your knowledge, are you willing to take the punishment?

 

[mambavino]

I've read through all the posts in this thread, and I've tried to muster a strong opinion on Lachie. But given the circumstances of the bet and how it was undertaken, I've got to be honest, while it's a regrettable circumstance...

 

[dogwatch]

Having a VFL player bet against the AFL affiliated team using an AFL player's phone.

What a huge deal. This is why we as a society need to sometimes not jump on everyone straight away.

Can we all stop accepting whichever reported version of events we happen to like?
Can't we just let the AFL/WB sort out what really did happen in this case? It might not be the same as what is being reported.

There are two different issues and we would do well to keep them separate:

1. Let justice and investigations run their course in regard to the players named in this incident. The less speculation the better*.
BUT...
2. Let's have a robust discussion about the ethics of gambling in sport and how it is best managed.

Regardless of the details of this case, it is quite legit to discuss here the broader issues of whether:

• betting on sport is acceptable
• AFL/clubs accepting money from betting on AFL matches (even pre-season matches FFS!) is acceptable
• betting against your own team is acceptable
• what the risks are to the sport and our club
• what sort of penalties are appropriate for transgressions

* no puns/ambiguity intended, but the statement holds true either way!

 

[timtamWB]

Can we all stop accepting whichever reported version of events we happen to like?
Can't we just let the AFL/WB sort out what really did happen in this case? It might not be the same as what is being reported.

There are two different issues and we would do well to keep them separate:

1. Let justice and investigations run their course in regard to the players named in this incident. The less speculation the better*.
BUT...
2. Let's have a robust discussion about the ethics of gambling in sport and how it is best managed.

Regardless of the details of this case, it is quite legit to discuss here the broader issues of whether:

• betting on sport is acceptable
• AFL/clubs accepting money from betting on AFL matches (even pre-season matches FFS!) is acceptable
• betting against your own team is acceptable
• what the risks are to the sport and our club
• what sort of penalties are appropriate for transgressions

* no puns/ambiguity intended, but the statement holds true either way!

To be fair, I hadn't read through the rest of the thread, and my earlier post was not directed at anyone in here, but purely the media who made a massive beat up about something that may be extremely small if Hunter wasn't actually involved.

As for gambling in sport, I don't gamble apart from the Melbourne Cup and Norm Smith, and I wouldn't really care if I stopped. I don't think that there needs to be a place for it in sport.

The view might be simplistic, but it stops all of these problems. It's the same with cigarettes. People die from cigarettes and they cause health problems, I don't think there's any need for them.

 

[lachy]

Can we all stop accepting whichever reported version of events we happen to like?
Can't we just let the AFL/WB sort out what really did happen in this case? It might not be the same as what is being reported.

There are two different issues and we would do well to keep them separate:

1. Let justice and investigations run their course in regard to the players named in this incident. The less speculation the better*.
BUT...
2. Let's have a robust discussion about the ethics of gambling in sport and how it is best managed.

Regardless of the details of this case, it is quite legit to discuss here the broader issues of whether:

• betting on sport is acceptable
• AFL/clubs accepting money from betting on AFL matches (even pre-season matches FFS!) is acceptable
• betting against your own team is acceptable
• what the risks are to the sport and our club
• what sort of penalties are appropriate for transgressions

* no puns/ambiguity intended, but the statement holds true either way!

Its not simply the betting on sport which is the issue. If people wish to risk their hard earned that is a decision they make. For a player to be involved, of course there will always be breaches that need to be educated or punished as there is for illicit drugs etc. This case will go through the process and should be settled on the facts presented.

Personally I believe there are too many gambling options and it is too easy to do, but I understand the counter argument of peoples choices.

The biggest issue I have is the AFL are the directors and protectors of this sport we love. We have seen how both match fixing and spot fixing can do long and sometimes permanent damage to a sport. Yet despite this clear role of the AFL they accept millions of dollars directly or indirectly from the very industry that could destroy their sport. It is hypocritical and madness. No it is not a defence for an individual player. No it has nothing to do with pokies revenue that has nothing to directly to do with the sport itself. It is accepting money from the very groups that can destroy the sport through gambling on that sport directly or indirectly

 

[Butane]

Look at it this way. If someone used your account without your knowledge, are you willing to take the punishment?

Do we actually believe this is what happened? Who picks up somebody else's phone and makes a bet? Even if it wins you can't claim the money. It's not like a practical joke or anything.

I should really wait for the investigation but it's very difficult to believe that it happened that way.

 

[Dav1d]

Do we actually believe this is what happened? Who picks up somebody else's phone and makes a bet? Even if it wins you can't claim the money. It's not like a practical joke or anything.

Someone that has absolute no brains or has it in for that person, like you said
we don't know the facts, the player could have been pissed as a parrot for all we know

 

[Roscoe_au]

Don't worry about Lachy Hunter, or any other player being found to have laid a bet on a game. None of this particular incident is news worthy, but just a very small piece of a very large problem.

What is news worthy is the issue of gambling and professional sport and the fact that the AFL have absolutely no conscience when it comes to predatory gambling. I am huge on this issue, but while the money keeps rolling in, the propaganda machine will keep a smoke screen around the real problems.

The crap about the AFL being this "moral compass" is laughable.

When (and it is a case of "when") organised crime get their hooks into the AFL everyone will start pointing fingers at the players and the clubs. The AFL Executive will come out with lines like "dark day in sport" and "how did it come to this?" and "action is required" and they'll claim they're the victims - not the kids that have been lent on by the underworld. The fact is, action on this matter has to happen now. Christ! Patrick Smith was writing about the AFL's mismanagement of the important issues in professional sport in 2010 and he was laughed at. But we're all loving the AFL at the moment because they've dropped the price of a pie at the MCG!!! Please!!!

Okay, rant over...

Bring on the season proper.

 

[Roscoe_au]

Do we actually believe this is what happened? Who picks up somebody else's phone and makes a bet? Even if it wins you can't claim the money. It's not like a practical joke or anything.

I should really wait for the investigation but it's very difficult to believe that it happened that way.

Like the "mate" who posted the pics of Todd Carney bubbling as a practical joke?

 

[cammo78]

Do we actually believe this is what happened? Who picks up somebody else's phone and makes a bet? Even if it wins you can't claim the money. It's not like a practical joke or anything.

I should really wait for the investigation but it's very difficult to believe that it happened that way.

Happens all the time. Who's to say they didn't pool a $100 into Hunter's account that morning to get on the punt with that day. Bloke says "chuck us your phone, I'm getting on something". And there you have it.

Mates and I do it most Saturdays at the local footy, as do a lot of others.

 

[cammo78]

Iaccarino, not Iaccabucci. And no names are confirmed, that's just an educated guess on who it might be.

My bad.

 

[Roscoe_au]

Can we all stop accepting whichever reported version of events we happen to like?
Can't we just let the AFL/WB sort out what really did happen in this case? It might not be the same as what is being reported.

There are two different issues and we would do well to keep them separate:

1. Let justice and investigations run their course in regard to the players named in this incident. The less speculation the better*.
BUT...
2. Let's have a robust discussion about the ethics of gambling in sport and how it is best managed.

Regardless of the details of this case, it is quite legit to discuss here the broader issues of whether:

• betting on sport is acceptable
• AFL/clubs accepting money from betting on AFL matches (even pre-season matches FFS!) is acceptable
• betting against your own team is acceptable
• what the risks are to the sport and our club
• what sort of penalties are appropriate for transgressions

* no puns/ambiguity intended, but the statement holds true either way!

Have a read of the NFL Player Code of Conduct I posted earlier. They are all over this in the States.

Their policy is a lot broader than you can imagine. Basically if you are a professional sportsperson or work for a professional sporting club, you don't gamble on any sport and you're very careful about the places you go. All the players sign up to it and they pour money into compliance to weed out those who don't toe the line.

 

[Morris Major]

Happens all the time. Who's to say they didn't pool a $100 into Hunter's account that morning to get on the punt with that day. Bloke says "chuck us your phone, I'm getting on something". And there you have it.

Mates and I do it most Saturdays at the local footy, as do a lot of others.

It's Lachie's account, then he should know better not to allow that to happen. Ignorance and oversight is not a defence.

If we as supporters of the sport know full well that players/coach/officials are not allowed to bet on AFL, then how hard is it for the players themselves not to?

Lachie stuffed up.

 

[cammo78]

It's Lachie's account, then he should know better not to allow that to happen. Ignorance and oversight is not a defence.

If we as supporters of the sport know full well that players/coach/officials are not allowed to bet on AFL, then how hard is it for the players themselves not to?

Lachie stuffed up.

I don't disagree.

I am merely saying the scenario is not abnormal.

 

[Clay]

It's Lachie's account, then he should know better not to allow that to happen. Ignorance and oversight is not a defence.

If we as supporters of the sport know full well that players/coach/officials are not allowed to bet on AFL, then how hard is it for the players themselves not to?

Lachie stuffed up.

Maybe so but if story checks out then as a matter of degree his culpability is negligence with no element of intention.

If he didn't know about the bet he didn't make the bet, and the rule is against making bets, not negligently leaving your phone with dumb mates. Agree that Lachy should be more careful (ie he was negligent) and the club and/or league will have to reprimand him as a show of being tough on inside betting, even though that would not be strictly accurate here

 

[Martyn_30_]

This should be a warning to all players to never have any betting accounts in your own name, if its under someone elses name and credit card details you can bet on your team to lose all you like and not get caught. Im sure the club would have reiterated with the players by now how to do this without getting caught.

 

[Butane]

Happens all the time. Who's to say they didn't pool a $100 into Hunter's account that morning to get on the punt with that day. Bloke says "chuck us your phone, I'm getting on something". And there you have it.

Mates and I do it most Saturdays at the local footy, as do a lot of others.

I do it with my mates too but we bet on sport/races that are happening that day. I don't go off on my own and starting betting on other things. How stupid would it before that person to say, 'Hey, chuck us your phone I want to bet your AFL team losing lol'. Unless they were really high on crack that seems like a very unlikely situation.

 

[dogwatch]

Have a read of the NFL Player Code of Conduct I posted earlier. They are all over this in the States.

Their policy is a lot broader than you can imagine. Basically if you are a professional sportsperson or work for a professional sporting club, you don't gamble on any sport and you're very careful about the places you go. All the players sign up to it and they pour money into compliance to weed out those who don't toe the line.

I did (at least p13). Good stuff.

 

[Easty]

Based on the available information given (and how bullshit I think it is) the best way we could play this is that we internally ban him from the senior squad until round 11 and hope the AFL deems that as fair.

There's no doubt in my mind that the AFL will look to use this as a distraction as they give the Essendon 34 a light sentence so I fully expect him to not play this year.

 

[MYOB]

I have not read this entire thread but the one BIG difference in this case is that he self reported. That has to weigh heavily in his favour when handing down a penalty.

 

[BRWB]

I have not read this entire thread but the one BIG difference in this case is that he self reported. That has to weigh heavily in his favour when handing down a penalty.

So did the bombers...

 

[doggies ftw]

To be fair, I hadn't read through the rest of the thread, and my earlier post was not directed at anyone in here, but purely the media who made a massive beat up about something that may be extremely small if Hunter wasn't actually involved.

As for gambling in sport, I don't gamble apart from the Melbourne Cup and Norm Smith, and I wouldn't really care if I stopped. I don't think that there needs to be a place for it in sport.

The view might be simplistic, but it stops all of these problems. It's the same with cigarettes. People die from cigarettes and they cause health problems, I don't think there's any need for them.

That's your opinion though and I think you'll find there's a hugeeee portion of the public who do think it has a place in sport. For me it makes sport much much more enjoyable. Why should we get punished because a small group of people **** up.

Also everyone saying that it's a problem to have in AFL because of match fixing well how many times has that happened? If it does happen deal with the case in point but right now, it's not a problem, whatsoever.

 

[WBD76]

Heard of light hearted banter?

Have you heard of the concept of being tactfull? Our club has endured a lot in the past six months. The matters affecting us were not brought on by any misdeeds that were perpetrated by the club as a whole. So please, do not insult us by comparing our plight to that of the Bombers.