Cricket legend Glenn McGrath has lost his ABC commentary role due to a contract with a bookmaker

Australia’s national broadcaster ABC has stood down one of the country’s greatest cricketers, Glenn McGrath, from commentary duties for the Ashes series. The reason was the former fast bowler’s partnership with betting company Bet365. As recently as last week, McGrath’s name appeared in the channel’s promotional materials as part of the commentary team for the upcoming tournament.

ABC has a strict internal policy banning employees and contractors from commercial ties with bookmakers. McGrath’s management informed the broadcaster of the planned collaboration with Bet365, after which the final decision was made. Bet365 and McGrath were contacted for comment.

“Mutually agreed to part ways,” but the door isn’t closed

ABC’s official position was carefully worded and deliberately diplomatic. A channel spokesperson said the parties had “mutually agreed to part ways” for the duration of the current Ashes series. The broadcaster said it hoped to see McGrath at the grounds during the series and stressed that it would be open to resuming cooperation in the future.

The practical implications for viewers are as follows: ABC’s commentary team will be led by Jim Maxwell and Corbin Middlemas, and the first Test will take place in Perth this Friday.

The Mitchell Johnson precedent — history repeating itself

McGrath’s situation isn’t unprecedented. In 2022, another celebrated Australian fast bowler, Mitchell Johnson, left ABC for a similar reason: his involvement in promotional activities with bookmakers was incompatible with the channel’s policy.

However, unlike McGrath, Johnson publicly criticised the broadcaster’s decision. His remarks about ABC’s “moral compass” were sharp at the time: “Do we have to align with ABC’s moral compass? That’s their rule, and I guess I just won’t work with them.” Johnson also noted that such restrictions make you think about “what you can and can’t say” when working as a commentator for the channel.

However, the company’s policy is understandable — in the world of sport there are plenty of stories about gambling addiction. Gambling ruins the lives of footballers, as well as athletes in other sports.

Why bookmakers look for faces among former champions

Australian gambling companies systematically recruit ex-athletes as brand ambassadors. The logic is simple: a familiar face creates a strong association between the brand and the world of sport, boosting audience awareness and trust.

According to review sites, the number of brands on the market is constantly growing. We confirmed this after visit site with a review of the app for the popular Australian game Andar Bahar. There, we saw how many casinos offer this app. We chose Andar Bahar as an example for a reason – it is preferred by people from India and Pakistan, who make up one of the largest diasporas in Australia.

To stand out from the list of online casinos with this and other games, gambling platforms use different tactics. Often, the desire to stand out leads to a logical conclusion — a well-known personality should be brought into the advertising. For online casinos with Andar Bahar, the most effective option is precisely contracts with cricket stars, since this sport is very popular among people of Indian origin.

A 2023 parliamentary report led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy recorded this effect as a systemic finding. The document’s key wording reads as follows: “Celebrity endorsements can be an effective way to market gambling, because people are less likely to see something as risky if they trust the person promoting the product.”

Cricket at the intersection of sport and betting

Cricket, like other major sports in Australia, is increasingly becoming the focus of criticism due to its growing entanglement with the gambling industry. The volume of sponsorship deals is rising, and with it public pressure is also intensifying.

One current national team player, Usman Khawaja, preparing to play in the Ashes series, recently said that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government is moving “100% too slowly” on banning gambling advertising and must break the link between betting and sport.

“If gambling is linked again and again with sport and athletes, showing that you can’t watch sport without betting, that’s a very, very dangerous precedent,” Khawaja stressed.

As a result, McGrath will not appear on ABC’s Ashes coverage due to his partnership with Bet365; however, the broadcaster is leaving open the possibility of working together in the future.

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