Bookmakers Cut Soccer Betting Amid FA’s New Fee Demands

URGENT UPDATE: Major Australian bookmakers are removing smaller soccer leagues from their betting sites as they clash with Football Australia (FA) over proposed new gambling fee structures. This unprecedented fight could position soccer as the most expensive sport for bookmakers in Australia, surpassing even the AFL and NRL.
The current agreement between FA and betting giants such as Tabcorp, Sportsbet, and Entain (owner of Ladbrokes and Neds) is set to expire at the end of October 2024. At present, these companies pay FA either 1% of their total bets or 15% of their profits quarterly, amounting to around AUD 9 million (approximately $5.9 million) over the last three years, according to the Australian Financial Review.
FA is now proposing a new fee structure that could require betting firms to pay based on each match, potentially raising fees to 30% of revenue for certain games. This would drastically exceed the fees charged by other major Australian sports.
As a result, many operators have begun to limit betting options for leagues such as the Victorian State League and NSW League Two. Warnings are surfacing that if FA pushes forward with these changes, A-League markets may follow suit, further diminishing betting options.
Bookmakers argue that match-by-match fees would jeopardize financial stability and complicate cash flow management. Conversely, FA maintains that increased revenue from these fees supports essential grassroots and youth programs throughout Australia.
This conflict unfolds amidst rising soccer viewership among young Australians, fueled by the Matildas’ impressive run in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and strong broadcast numbers for domestic leagues.
Adding further complexity, Victoria’s gambling regulator is currently scrutinizing FA’s integrity framework, a review prompted by two recent match-fixing scandals involving former A-League players. Industry insiders suggest that this regulatory pressure has made FA more insistent on higher fees to cover increased monitoring and compliance expenses.
Bookmakers counter by asserting they already invest significantly in integrity systems and are facing escalating regulatory costs nationwide. For FA, these negotiations are critical. Despite reporting record annual earnings of $123.7 million in 2024, the organization also faced a net loss of $8.5 million due to heightened media, marketing, and staffing expenditures.
Experts warn that the ongoing deadlock could drastically alter the dynamics of Australian sports, challenging the balance between fairness, revenue, and market reach. A failure to reach an agreement may result in a decline in viewership and support for state-level games, pushing bookmakers to withdraw from soccer betting altogether.
As this situation develops, stakeholders across the industry are urged to stay alert for potential shifts that could reshape the betting landscape in Australian soccer.