Referee Ashley Klein’s gambling spiralled further out of control after the NRL launched an investigation into his problems with punting in 2019, it has been reported.
The news comes as some of footy’s biggest names have called for Klein to be axed from officiating Wednesday night’s State of Origin match after revelations that he lost $400,000 betting on horse and greyhound races.
According to reports, the NRL first became aware of Klein’s gambling issues in 2019 and conducted an investigation before allowing him to continue refereeing at the highest level.
In a statement, Klein said the gambling problem had never involved rugby league.
Now a source close to the investigation has said Klein’s losses when the investigation was launched seven years ago were ‘a fraction of the $400,000-plus they would reach’, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
The league’s top match official agreed to let the NRL monitor his betting at the time but still lost a fortune to his gambling habit, according to the publication.
Ashley Klein’s gambling losses escalated after the NRL began investigating his punting in 2019, it has been reported
Klein (pictured refereeing Origin game one this year) stressed that he never placed wagers on rugby league before he closed his betting accounts after losing a reported $400,000Â
Footy legend Darryl Brohman (pictured) has called for Klein to be removed from officiating this year’s second Origin match on Wednesday night
While Klein and the NRL have stressed he did not break any of the league’s rules, the exposure of his gambling problem has led to calls for him to be axed from refereeing this year’s second State of Origin match.
Darryl Brohman – who played Origin for Queensland before carving out a high-profile media career – wants Klein stood down.
‘It just leaves the NRL, himself and others open to criticism,’ Brohman said.
‘I know they get criticised at the best of times but this will be 50 times worse.’
Blues great turned commentator Mark Geyer agreed, saying allowing Klein to officiate on Wednesday night would be ‘untenable’ because ‘I don’t think he will be in the right headspace to officiate such a massive fixture’.
Roy Masters, who coached Wests and the Dragons for a total of 250 matches, said Klein should stand down from Origin duties.Â
‘Many years ago I developed a problem with gambling on horse racing and greyhound racing,’ Klein said in a statement.
‘This gambling was not related to any betting on Rugby League, and my job as a referee has never been impacted.
Klein (pictured sin-binning Reece Walsh last year) used the BetStop register to help him overcome his gambling issues
Blues Origin icon Mark Geyer (pictured) said allowing Klein to take control of the Origin game is ‘untenable’
‘I received help to deal with the problem and closed all associated betting accounts. This was a difficult period of my life but one which did not in any way influence my job as a match official.’
The NRL confirmed it had been aware of the issue for several years.
‘The NRL subsequently took appropriate steps to ensure there were no breaches of NRL rules and policies,’ a spokesman said.
‘At no stage has Ashley Klein’s position as an NRL match official been impacted.
‘The NRL takes proactive steps as a matter of course to provide education relating to rules and policy. Given this is an employment matter it would not be appropriate to comment further.’
NSW stars have thrown their support behind Klein officiating in Origin, with hooker Reece Robson calling him a ‘great referee’.Â
‘He’s done it for a long time, and he’s always delivered on the big stage as being a great referee. That’s why he keeps getting those jobs,’ Robson said.
‘In terms of the other stuff, that’s a personal issue for him to work through and I’m sure he’s got the help and the friends and the family around him to help him through that sort of stuff.’
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