My 8-year-old son is obsessed with all things cricket. He always has been.
We were at the first day of the Sydney test this year because he won a cricket competition. He was one of the Milo kids standing in front of the Australian team for the Anthem Ceremony.
We had the most wonderful day.
But two instances during our country’s cricket of summer have left me horrified and wondering whether my kids should be watching the game (that they love so much) at all.
The first occurred during the Boxing Day Test. We were away with my ten-year-old son, and equally cricket mad, nephew. The boys were watching the cricket but before the day’s play began, the commentators launched into all the betting odds, and how they can place bets.
The second event that greatly disturbed me occurred while watching the game live. An image then presented itself that was impossible to ignore. With each wicket, the entire stadium audience would turn to the big screen to see the replay of the wicket. But before the wicket was shown, a bet365.com.au advertisement would appear. There was no escaping it.
The game of cricket is very clearly aimed at kids, as well as the adults. The Milo kids stand with players during the anthem, the whole of the lunchtime entertainment are the Milo kids playing cricket. We were sitting in the bay with all the Milo kids, and most of them know the players better than a lot of the adults.
Top Comments
Clearly yesterdays news only adds to why gambling needs to be restricted in sports. It's not just young minds that are being influenced, but also organised crime and (alledgedly) sports stars themselves - the lure of the 'big bucks' is just too much!
I have long held the same view about gambling advertisements during AFL football. It is aligning betting as part of enjoying watching the game - linking it the way it is linked to horse racing. It's insidious and disturbing. Glad I'm not the only one who has noticed