Alcohol companies now sponsor every single AFL and NRL club in Australia, according to a new report from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE).
It also found every NRL club and five AFL clubs have gambling sponsors, and that these brands are appearing across broadcast deals and in the women’s competitions.
The findings come as a Senate inquiry is reviewing the Federal Government’s plan to restrict gambling ads.
Former NRL player Luke Bateman told TDA the result is: “You cannot play sport, you cannot celebrate sport without alcohol being involved.”
Background
The AFL and the NRL have financial ties to the betting industry, with both codes making money from bets placed on their own games through deals with sports betting companies.
A 2023 federal inquiry into online gambling recommended a full, phased ban on all gambling ads.
No government has adopted it in full.
Alcohol ads are subject to a loophole.
While they are usually restricted when children are likely to be watching, live sport can be broadcast with alcohol advertising at any time.
Report
FARE released its State of Play report on Wednesday.
It found that, as of May 2026, every single AFL and NRL club had an alcohol sponsors, with branding appearing on uniforms, in stadiums and through player celebrations involving products.
Every NRL club also had a gambling sponsor, while five AFL clubs (Brisbane Lions, Fremantle, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants and West Coast Eagles) had gambling partnerships.
The report also found both leagues have extensive sponsorship deals with alcohol and gambling companies, including arrangements linked to betting on their own games.
Women’s sport
Women’s sport is becoming a growing focus for alcohol and gambling sponsors, according to the report.
At least nine AFLW clubs and four NRLW clubs have alcohol sponsors for the 2026 season.
The GWS Giants have also taken on their first gambling sponsor for their AFLW team, bringing the number of AFLW clubs with gambling sponsors to three.
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FARE CEO Ayla Chorley told TDA: “Women historically have consumed alcohol at lower levels than men, and so it's been an active strategy for that industry to seek out women.”
Warning
FARE says the report shows how deeply the alcohol and gambling industries have become embedded in Australian sport.
The organisation argues alcohol advertising now "saturates every part of our experience of sport".
Chorley told TDA young people are growing up seeing “their favourite players covered head to toe in sponsorship from alcohol and gambling companies.”
She said major sporting codes and clubs should be able to operate without relying on sponsorship from those industries.
Reforms
Australia’s media regulator, ACMA, is considering removing the loophole that allows alcohol ads during live sport, even when children are watching.
Th Government also introduced a gambling reform bill to Parliament last month.
If passed, the laws would limit gambling ads on broadcast TV to three per hour, ban betting ads during live sport between 6:30am and 8:30pm, prohibit gambling ads at venues and on players’ and officials’ uniforms, and ban ads promoting odds or featuring sports players or celebrities from 1 January 2027.
The Coalition and the Greens joined forces to send the gambling reform bill to a Senate committee, both arguing it doesn’t go far enough.
Former NRL player Luke Bateman gave evidence to the inquiry this week.
He alleged gambling companies’ VIP managers unofficially offered him illicit drugs to keep him betting during an addiction he estimates cost him around $1 million.
Tabcorp and Sportsbet have denied the allegations.
Bateman told TDA he expected the denial, saying: “That industry has shown for decades now that there’s absolutely no accountability, responsibility, or self-reflection whatsoever.”
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