Cricket Australia refuses gambling sponsor for Big Bash League

Cricket Australia has reportedly turned down an offer from a betting company to sponsor the Big Bash League.

Under criticism for taking sponsorship from gambling companies and often having been scrutinised in the past for its partnerships with alcohol brands, Cricket Australia Chief Executive Kevin Roberts advised over the weekend that the BBL sponsorship offer from an un-named gambling company didn't fit with the domestic Twenty20 competition.

Roberts told SEN radio on Saturday “that is something we won't do because it's fun, family entertainment."

As reported by AAP, Roberts suggested that sponsorship of the BBL was separate to wider commercial links with betting platforms, stating "there's two very separate points here.

"The integrity of the game, it's all about keeping the game clean.

"And, on the other hand, very separately, we have a commercial arrangement in the sports betting space in Australia.

"I would note that we're very conservative in that space ... we have an existing commercial arrangement in some other forms of the game and we need to honour that at this point in time.

"But in terms of our future commercial strategy ... we're going to be reflecting on the sponsorship categories and the markets where we want to do more, where we want to maintain our position, and in some cases where we want to do less."

Asked when Cricket Australia would review its sponsorship with Bet365, Roberts said "when the time is right".

Image: Big Bash League cricket at Perth's Optus Stadium.