Gambling, the Brownlow and Hinkley’s outburst: League chief on the AFL’s biggest talking points

On the eve of a grand final that the AFL predicts will attract the largest audience in the code’s history, CEO Andrew Dillon has acknowledged that there has been too much gambling advertising for the league on television and online.

The AFL chief executive also said the league had received significant feedback from the public saying that “there’s too much” gambling advertising, but Dillon said much of the sports betting advertising – which some political leaders oppose outright – was not during broadcasts of AFL games and therefore was not an AFL issue.

In an interview with this masthead in grand final week, the AFL CEO said the league supported caps on the number of sports betting commercials during broadcasts and gates for online gambling and said the league felt “there has been too much advertising” of sports betting.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon spoke about the future of the competition.Credit: Joe Armao

The AFL, like the NRL, however, is opposed to a blanket ban on sports betting advertising, which is still lucrative for the broadcast partners who fund the code and other networks.

“We support the policy positions of the government about over-saturation, normalisation, problem gambling – so wanting to minimise that,” said Dillon, who took over as AFL CEO from Gillon McLachlan, who is now CEO of Tabcorp.

“We think there should be – there has been too much advertising, so we’re a supporter of regulation, we’re a supporter of frequency caps – so every hour having a limited number of ads on TV.

“We think online there should be restrictions so that there’s age-gating, there’s opt-out functionality and those things. So they’re the conversations we’re having with the government.”

“We get a fair bit (of feedback) … like that, people think there’s too much.”

Dillon said the volume of sports betting on TV during AFL broadcasts was “very small,” adding: “Most of the advertising occurs during news and other times … it’s really a matter for the sports betting companies and the free to airs. That doesn’t impact the AFL at all.”

Dillon’s response to the question of a blanket ban on sports betting advertising in-broadcast was: “We support the overall intent of the government to reduce advertising, and we continue to work with them.”

In a wide-ranging and frank interview that covered major decisions facing the AFL, Dillon also said:

The Brownlow Medal would remain in the same format of 3-2-1 votes cast by umpires for the fairest and best player, with players suspended for one match, such as Isaac Heeney, still ineligible, but the AFL was open to debating what kinds of acts should or shouldn’t earn suspensions.
“The 3-2-1 [format] has served it well. It’s difficult for the umpires, but it will be the fairest and best as adjudged by the umpires … My view is it would be more a decision about looking at the tribunal as opposed to changing the eligibility.“
The question was what acts should result in suspension. “That’s the debate that should be had. In my mind it’s not a Brownlow debate.“
But Dillon said the AFL would again ask the umpires after the season if they wanted access to (detailed) statistics to help cast their Brownlow votes. The umpires had declined that offer last year.
Explained the reasoning behind fining Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley $20,000 for heckling Hawthorn players – the same fine that was given to Giants football boss Jason McCartney for making physical contact with Swan Tom Papley six days earlier.
“I think the fact the Hinkley one happened after the McCartney one I think we thought we’d sort of set a standard, that this sort of stuff wasn’t to happen and then the week later (it did).
“If they continue to occur, then it means the deterrent factor’s not where it should be. So that’s one of the reasons, if there is escalation.”
Revealed that mid-season trading had little support, suggesting it would not come in for 2025 with Dillon citing the view that the mid-season trading would advantage Victorian clubs.
Players had been “amenable” to the mid-year trades. “But we have to make sure that if we do that all clubs get equal opportunity and there is a school of thought, which I think is fair, that, if it was to come in, the Victorian teams might have an advantage.”
The day grand final had served the game well (Dillon had made plain he supported its retention last year), but his personal view would not decide whether there was a move to twilight or night. Some AFL Commission members want the twilight grand final, which was trialled during the COVID pandemic.
“I don’t think personal preference should come into it because … ultimately this role is about doing what’s the best stuff for the competition as opposed to what’s something I like or don’t like.“
Dillon said the AFL Commission would again decide on the grand final start time early next year after talking to clubs, players, fans and broadcasters.
When it was put to him that the day grand final was not broken, he replied: “No it’s not, and the grand final last year was about as good a game as anyone’s ever been to, and I reckon Saturday will be really good as well.
“The reality is we’ve had a day grand final, we’ve looked at it and we’ve continued to schedule it at 2.30.”
The pre-finals bye would be retained, in preference to an extra week before the grand final. “I reckon, since it’s come in, the finals have just gone from strength to strength … I see absolutely no reason to change it.”
The AFL would very likely have its opening round in Sydney and Queensland again in 2025, with the make-up of visiting teams being determined now.
“I think when things are going well, and you’ve only done it once, it would make sense to go again and see if we can do it better.”
Compensation picks for free agents – which some clubs believe have been manipulated to gain picks – would remain tied to a club’s ladder position in 2025. There had been calls for a mid-first round selection.
“The view at the moment is (that) it still should attach to where you finish on the ladder.”
Despite complaints about compromises via academies, father-son bids and compensation picks, Dillon felt the draft was working. “Yeah, absolutely, I think it is … I think the competition is more equal than it’s ever been … there’s never been more games decided by 10 points or less, and there’s never been more upsets.”