SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 03: Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V'landys and National Rugby League Acting Chief Executive Andrew Abdo arrive a NRL press conference at Rugby League Central on September 03, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

For the first time, the NRL is set to allow punters to bet on all pre-season trial matches. The decision comes just after the NRL announced they will hold a 2023 pre-season tournament for all 17 teams and Super League champions St Helens.

The Sydney Morning Herald are reporting that the NRL will open up betting lines to bookmakers this week.

Despite fans being able to bet on certain trial games in previous years, such as the All-Stars game, they will now be allowed to bet on the outcome of all practice matches. However, the NRL has rejected incorporating other betting markets into the games.

First-try scorer and the player with the most tackles are just a couple of the betting markets that won't be on offer.

The NRL believes that allowing betting will garner a higher viewership, as they try and build a recognised pre-season tournament.

The tournament will take place over two weeks, beginning on Thursday, February 9, and ending the following Sunday, February 19. Each team will play two matches as they try out different combinations and see what works heading into the 2023 regular season.

Unlike normal regular season games, clubs are able to have a squad of up to 30 players in any given trial match. There is also no rule on the number of interchanges they can use. This can cause the coaches to make several changes at one time, not caring about the final result but making sure everyone gets a run heading into the new season.

As teams don't take the pre-season too seriously, the betting markets could encounter individuals who are looking to exploit the system.

The Sydney Morning Herald has written that Responsible Wagering Australia intends to immediately close the account of any individual portraying suspicious activity. The statement from Responsible Wagering will help combat people who are trying to cheat the system.

This decision comes after a Dally M medal betting scandal, where two individuals pleaded guilty to using inside information to bet on Craig Bellamy's win as Coach of the Year. Betting on the Dally M Medal is no longer allowed.