- Follows wager with leading sports broadcaster Craig Hutchison
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has been accused of breaking the league’s gambling rules in relation to his annual bet for a bottle of Penfolds Grange wine with sports broadcaster Craig Hutchison.
Sports Entertainment Group boss Hutchison had reportedly spent $1500 on bottle for each year the Gold Coast Suns failed to make the finals, dating back to 2010.
Former AFL boss Gillon McLachlan and ex-St Kilda CEO Simon Lethlean were also included in the wager.
Hutchison finally broke his duck after the Suns finished in seventh spot this season, but now gambling reform advocate Tim Costello has questioned whether Dillon ‘breached AFL policy’.
‘Andrew Dillon was the head of AFL integrity. On the face of it he has breached the AFL’s policy,’ Costello said.
‘Did the AFL declare a conflict of interest with Hutchy in relation to broadcast rights deals because of these bottles of wine?
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has been accused of breaking the league’s gambling rules in relation to his annual bet for a bottle of Penfolds Grange with sports broadcaster Craig Hutchison
Hutchison – the boss of Sports Entertainment Group – had reportedly forked out for a $1500 bottle for each year the Gold Coast Suns failed to miss the finals dating back to 2010
Gambling reform advocate Tim Costello has questioned whether Dillon ‘breached AFL policy’ by accepting bottles of Grange annually
‘It’s a failure of corporate governance.’
According to News Corp, the AFL is confident the arrangement between the footy identities didn’t break the league’s gambling rules because the social bet wasn’t placed with a bookmaker.
The total value of the wine Dillon received over the past 15 years would exceed $20,000 if Hutchison had honoured the bet each year.
The Age has reported a much higher figure – given one bottle of Penfolds Grange retails for $1500, Hutchison could have forked out a staggering $125,916 over the years.
It is understood ‘Hutch’ has actually purchased at least six bottles of wine for his high-profile friends for the past 14 years, which amounts to 84 bottles.
Hutchison addressed the issue on his Sounding Board podcast.
‘There’s elements in the story that are true and there’s elements that are a fair way from the mark,’ he said.
Meanwhile, there is a slight catch relating to the parameters of Hutchison’s bet.
Back in 2010, Andrew Dillon (left) and Gillon McLachlan (right) agreed to the bet with Hutchison
Former St Kilda CEO Simon Lethlean (pictured) was also included in the wager, which Hutchison has honoured for the past 14 years
Earlier this year, the group decided it was time to switch up the stakes of the wager.
Hutchison was given the green light to pick two other teams – on top of Gold Coast – if the Suns didn’t finish in the top eight.
Should those teams make finals, he would bank two bottles of wine. If both missed out, then he’d have to fork out two bottles.
Hutchison opted for Carlton and Essendon, who both had campaigns to forget.
And even after Gold Coast booked their spot in finals, because the Blues and the Bombers came up short, Hutchison failed to pick up his elusive bottle of wine.
