NRL bans Aussie bookmakers from offering novelty bets

Australia’s National Rugby League has ordered bookmakers to stop offering certain exotic wagers following a scandal involving a player caught betting on NRL matches.

Last month, the NRL launched an investigation into whether Wests Tiger center Tim Simona had placed wagers on opposing players scoring tries against him. While a police investigation determined that the affair didn’t warrant criminal charges, Simona (pictured) could face a lifetime ban from the NRL should the league decide to make an example to discourage future PR damage.

This week, the NRL claimed it had sent Australian bookies a notice in December requiring them to scrap a variety of novelty betting options, including head-to-head player wagers, most runs, most meters, most tackles and betting on 40-20 kicks. The NRL also banned all wagering on its under-20s division.

However, the NRL said it has no plans to ban betting on first-try scorer, which is the second most popular form of NRL betting after team head-to-head wagers. A league spokesman told the Australian Associated Press that the focus was on “more subjective things. Stuff that could be manipulated easier than other bets.”