Football Australia Criticized for Profiting From Betting on Youth Soccer Games

Football Australia is making money from people wagering on games involving underage players, according to new media reports.

The main governing body for soccer in Australia receives a cut of wagers that people place on games involving players under gambling age, prompting criticism from local media sources.

According to ABC News, Football Australia and other prominent sporting organizations in the country have agreements in place with many notable sportsbooks in the country. Through these deals, they receive product integrity fees when someone wagers on an eligible sporting event.

People can only typically place wagers on games in the top two tiers of most sports in Australia, but Football Australia is an exception. Punters can place bets on amateur soccer games, including recent under-20s competitions.

a team fielded numerous 17-year-olds and a 15-year-old was on the bench

During a game in one of these competitions, a team fielded numerous 17-year-olds and a 15-year-old was on the bench. Football Australia reportedly receives 1% of bets placed on a soccer game or 15% of the sportsbook’s total profit on that game, whichever is greater.

As well as the organization making money from people wagering on games involving underage players, concerns about game integrity also exist. The country’s match-fixing authority has warned that betting on low-level games heightens the chances of players engaging in manipulation.