Asked about a conflict of interest, Balding said: "He's got my support and the board's support. We don't see it as any conflict of interest and when we raised [V'landys first joining the ARLC] with the board ... it never specifically came out.

"I don't think I can definitively speak on behalf of the board [about the chairmanship], but I'm confident they don't see it as conflict of interest. I don't see it from a Racing NSW perspective in any case.

I don't think they're competing sports and in some way they're complementary.

Russell Balding

"I don't think they're competing sports and in some way they're complementary. One of the reasons I supported Peter going onto the commission in the first place was to broaden his experience and his knowledge. Up until now it's definitely worked to the advantage of both sides and it can continue that way."

V'landys has been a ruthless negotiator with corporate bookmakers to increase the amount of betting taxes they pay to Racing NSW, which competes for the wagering dollar against the sporting codes such as the NRL, which are increasingly favoured by the younger tech-savvy generation.

One of the NRL's fastest growing revenue streams has been the money paid to the code by bookmakers to bet on matches, which led to an ugly stand-off between oddsmakers and top rugby league administrators last year.

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And his main point of business in coming years with the ARLC will be to negotiate the NRL's next broadcast deal, which is the lifeblood of the sport.

The last five-year deal was signed for $1.8 billion and will lapse at the end of the 2022 season.

Nine, the publisher of this newspaper, and News Limited's Foxtel share the NRL's TV rights while Seven showcases NSW racing's major autumn and spring carnival meetings on its free-to-air platforms alongside the subscription Sky Racing service, which provides NSW showcase coverage all year round.

Nine is open to scrapping Thursday night football in the next deal, a point of contention for V'landys when he sits down at the negotiating table.

"We'll talk to all the broadcasters about what their preferences and options are," Beattie said. "For us it's about maintaining value for the game, but it's just too early and these things are for future negotiations."

V'landys has also leveraged Sydney's expanded $45 million spring carnival and the jewel in its crown, The Everest, by running the world's richest turf race at Royal Randwick a fortnight after the NRL grand final.

He helped establish the concept, which will be run on Caulfield Cup day in October, in 2017 before joining the ARLC the following year.