Moments before stepping onto a plane bound for the United States, where the NRL hopes to launch the 2024 season, Peter V’landys defended his plans to capitalise on America’s multibillion-dollar sports-betting market.
V’landys is on his way to Las Vegas to escalate talks about his radical venture and inspect the venue nicknamed “The Death Star”, the likely location for the season-opening double header slated by the ARL Commission chairman.
V’landys, who doubles as chief executive of Racing New South Wales, has drawn criticism in his push to deepen the NRL’s ties with sports betting.
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But in keeping with his trademark style, he’s not backing down.
“Look, it’s entertainment,” V’landys told 9News.
“You don’t gamble to win money, you don’t do it to become rich; you do it to entertain yourself.
“Just like you go to a restaurant and you buy a meal — that’s entertainment.
“As long as you’re responsible with what your spending with that entertainment, it’s no different to anything else.”
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In V’landys’ Las Vegas project, he sees two avenues for increasing revenue: broadcast subscription and a wagering operator.
He believes combining the two would generate two times the revenue.
“If you’re betting on the product, you’ll subscribe to the broadcast,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald.
V’landys hit back at those who say he’s promoting gambling.
“No, I’m encouraging entertainment,” he told 9News.
“If you treat gambling as entertainment and you budget yourself to have so much on that entertainment, there’s no problem with it.”
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