Star Swans player’s gambling podcast sparks watchdog scrutiny
The NSW gambling regulator has contacted the Sydney Swans to express its concerns about a newly launched betting podcast by one of the club’s star players.
Tom Papley went to air with the podcast called The Early Crow last week, which features himself and a professional bookmaker providing sport and racing tips, and discussing their lives as “two punting obsessed humans just trying to find a way”.
Sydney Swans star forward Tom Papley has launched “The Early Crow” podcast. Getty
The duo repeatedly mock responsible gambling and joke about rorting online bookmakers’ special deals. Swans defender Nick Blakey also appears on the first episode, introduced by Papley as a “gun NRL punter”.
The Sydney Swans signed up to the NSW government’s anti-gambling Reclaim the Game initiative earlier this year, publicly swearing off betting sponsors in an effort to combat the “normalisation of sports betting”.
The Office of Responsible Gambling, which sits within the NSW gaming regulator, runs the program and raised the podcast directly with the Swans.
“While there is no affiliation between the Swans and the aforementioned podcast, we have raised concerns directly with the Swans, who are treating the matter very seriously,” a spokesperson for the Office of Responsible Gambling said.
The spokesperson said the regulator had “confidence in their ongoing commitment to Reclaim the Game”.
The Sydney Swans have not commented on the podcast, or whether Papley had cleared the project with the club. Papley is a member of the team’s leadership group.
The star forward has a recurring segment on Sports radio SEN where he talks about horse racing. But Papley’s new podcast goes much further, providing tips on racing, golf and NRL. The tips are posted
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