Legendary Australian pacer Glenn McGrath was reportedly removed from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) commentary panel for the upcoming Ashes 2025-26, as the broadcaster learned about his commercial partnership with betting giant Bet365.

McGrath had been marketed as a member of the ABC crew for the series, but the agreement was terminated when his management informed the broadcaster of his planned commercial partnership with the betting giant Bet365.

The ABC has rigorous restrictions that prohibit its presenters and analysts from having links with gambling enterprises, regardless of whether they appear in news or sports.

The national broadcaster confirmed the decision in a statement, saying McGrath and the ABC had agreed to part ways for this Ashes series.

“We’ve mutually decided Glenn won’t be part of our coverage this summer. We hope to see him around the grounds and remain open to working with him again. Our commentary group, headed by Jim Maxwell and Corbin Middlemas, is set for the opening Test in Perth,” an ABC spokesperson told news.com.au.

McGrath will still feature on the BBC commentary team for the upcoming Ashes series. The first Ashes Test gets underway in Perth on Friday.

A similar situation happened in 2022 when Mitchell Johnson chose to leave ABC to safeguard his own betting partnerships. He also slammed the broadcasters and questioned whether commentators had to match what he described as the ABC’s “moral compass” to remain on air.

Sports betting sponsorships are still a thorny issue in Australia, with gambling organizations routinely employing former sportsmen to boost credibility and publicity. Cricket, like many major Australian sports, continues to receive criticism for its tight ties to gambling.