Australian Online Gambling Affiliates Come Under Scrutiny

Paddy Power-owned Sportsbet is being accused of keeping its affiliate arrangement secret.

The company, which admitted this week to paying out over $4 million last year in online gambling affiliate commissions, insists it is not concealing anything.

“There is nothing secret about these affiliate arrangements and commissions,” the company’s CEO Cormac Barry said.  “To this end, a link to the Sportsbet.com.au Affiliate website is displayed on Sportsbet.com.au’s home page. Sportsbet is strongly committed to responsible gambling and does everything in its power not to take any bets from any person who is a problem gambler.”

Australian anti-gambling Senator Nick Xenophon called the practice of using third party affiliates “unconsciable” and considered this a breach of secret commissions legislation.

Xenophon's influence in the Senate was somewhat weakened last month when  nine Green Party politicians gained the balance of power in the Australian Senate.

- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com