Gambling watchdog referred to IBAC over claims of corruption

Victoria’s gambling watchdog, which handled some of the AFL’s most recent scandals, says it will co-operate fully with any IBAC investigation amid claims it did not properly investigate three big footy scandals.

The state’s gambling watchdog has been referred to IBAC amid claims of corruption in its handling of three major footy scandals.

Victoria’s gambling watchdog says it will co-operate fully with any IBAC investigation after revelations in the Herald Sun on Monday that the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation had been referred to the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission amid claims it did not properly investigate three big footy scandals.

Two whistleblowers claim the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation did not properly investigate the Jaidyn Stephenson gambling issue, Melbourne tanking saga or Talia brothers cheating allegations.

They allege the investigations were whitewashes and the body is beholden to the AFL.

The claims have been referred to the independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC).

But on Tuesday, VCGLR chief executive Catherine Myers said she was confident of the commission’s capacity to carry out its duties with expertise and professionalism “including any ongoing and active investigation and oversight of AFL integrity matters”.

Jaidyn Stephenson was suspended for ten weeks for breaking an AFL betting ban. Picture: Julian Smith

“The VCGLR is committed to ensuring the integrity of betting on sports events,” Ms Myers said.

“In addition to the approval of sports controlling bodies, the VCGLR undertakes its responsibilities as a regulator throughmechanisms such as formal investigations, information gathered in the course of regular reviews and audits, complaints receivedand referrals to or from other agencies.

“Should IBAC undertake an investigation, the VCGLR would cooperate fully.

“Match-fixing and related corrupt conduct is a criminal matter. Criminal matters are dealt with by Victoria Police.”

“Pretending the VCGLR is a watchdog is worse than having no watchdog at all. Because right now, Victorians think someone is watching. But AFL fans need to know, nobody is watching, and that the AFL is making money from the madness and the badness,” one whistleblower said.

“Half the staff at the VCGLR are desperate for IBAC to step in and clean up the regulator. “There are good people inside the VCGLR who want to be allowed to fight corruption.”

The whistleblowers approached independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie regarding their concerns after the VCGLR’s recent announcement on Melbourne, saying they were “prepared to provide evidence”.

Mr Wilkie earlier this month referred the case to IBAC.

“In my opinion, these latest whistleblowers are genuine and their concerns credible,” Wilkie said in his referral.

In the case of Pies forward Stephenson, an AFL probe was satisfied he made no attempt to fix any outcomes despite betting on himself to kick a certain number of goals, and for Collingwood to win by a specific margin in the bets.

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Precise details of the bets which Stephenson placed on three matches were never publicly disclosed, with the young star escaping with a 10-game ban.

“If the investigators were allowed to do their jobs, they would make Jaidyn Stephenson come in for an interview,” one whistleblower said.

“That’s what they wanted to do. They are the actual regulator. That’s their job.”

The whistleblowers have also flagged concerns over the VCGLR’s handling of allegations that inside information was leaked by a disgruntled Bulldogs player to the Adelaide Crows before the 2015 elimination final.

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Michael Talia was accused of sharing Western Bulldogs’ tactics with Crows star and brother, Daniel Talia, ahead of his side’s clash with Adelaide. Picture: Michael Klein

The AFL announced there was no case to answer in November 2015, after a 63-day integrity unit investigation into the issue, ticked off by the VCGLR a month later following a brief review.

But the Herald Sun revealed in mid-2016 that Bulldogs chiefs informed the AFL they had obtained “independent corroboration” of allegations that disaffected defender Michael Talia leaked parts of the team’s game plan to his brother, star Adelaide backman Daniel Talia, in the days before the match.

The Bulldogs were furious that the AFL accepted explanations of players at the centre of the scandal rather than the views of coach Luke Beveridge, who was prepared to “go on oath” and list manager Jason McCartney.

One of the whistleblowers said this week: “The Talia brothers scandal should never have been left to the AFL to investigate.

“The AFL must never be allowed to investigate itself. The AFL is part of the gambling industry. The AFL sold football’s soul to the devils a long time ago.”

The final process relating to the AFL which they say was corrupted was the recent VCGLR probe into the Melbourne tanking scandal.

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey faces the hard questions about tanking in 2009.

“There was no investigation into the Melbourne tanking by the VCGLR. No-one inside the VCGLR has any knowledge of such an investigation,” a whistleblower said of the body’s supposed review, announced in April.

Dozens of Melbourne players and officials were interviewed by AFL investigators in 2012/13, after ex-Demon Brock McLean suggested the team was being coached to lose.

An AFL probe cleared the club of tanking, with an initial VCGLR inquiry rubberstamping the verdict.

But the VCGLR announced it was launching a fresh investigation after the Herald Sun published 80 pages of secret transcripts from the AFL’s tanking interviews, exposing how multiple club officials had confessed to a conspiracy to lose matches.

Last month, the body announced it had again determined the league had not breached its obligations.

State Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien last month said the VCGLR’s “nothing to see here” verdict on the tanking scandal “beggars belief”.

“There is a real question whether the VCGLR is doing its job when it comes to regulating sports betting,” he said.

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There was “a culture of corruption” inside the VCGLR, one whistleblower said this week.

“It doesn’t happen by accident. The regulator is deliberately set up to fail,” he said.

“The AFL is treated like it’s above the law. How can the AFL be allowed by the regulator to do it’s own investigation into match-fixing? The independent regulator should be doing the investigation. And how can the AFL be allowed to clear itself of wrong doing when a coach admits to match-fixing?

“It’s a cover-up and the VCGLR are involved.”

Asked about the issue, an IBAC spokesman said: “For legal and operational reasons, IBAC generally does not comment on whether we have a complaint or investigation before us.”

An IBAC report last year referenced concerns raised by the auditor general about the VCGLR’s policing of “the gambling and liquor industries”.