Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Football rules on betting: What is a breach and whether stars can gamble

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Betting on sporting events has become one of the most lucrative markets around but the players themselves have certain rules to follow.

Brentford star Ivan Toney is currently awaiting his potential punishment after he was charged with 262 alleged breaches.

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Toney has been hit with more than 200 betting charges

His England teammate Kieran Trippier has already served a ten-week suspension and £70,000 fine for telling a friend about his impending transfer to Atletico Madrid in 2019.

The likes of Daniel Sturridge and Joey Barton have also fell foul of FA regulations during their playing days but how? talkSPORT.com explains…

Can Premier League stars bet on football?

The short and simple answer is NO.

Any form of bets on football is banned worldwide by the FA for all players, managers, coaches, club staff, directors and licensed agents involved in all levels of the English game.

This includes the Premier League, EFL, National League, Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship.

It also applies to the Northern, Southern and Isthmian leagues.

The exception to these rules are for participants at Step 5 or below in the National League system or for match officials operating below Level 4.

Trippier fell foul of the FA’s rules around betting

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Trippier fell foul of the FA’s rules around betting


The ban covers everything from active bets on matches taking place as well as other football related stakes such as transfers and managerial hiring/sackings.

Furthermore, it also prohibits insider trading as per the Trippier case to prevent bets being placed from information that was passed on.

The Newcastle star would have still been in breach even if he was unaware his information was used to place a bet.

Can Premier League stars bet on other sports?

Yes, they can.

As outlined by the PFA, players in England can gamble on any non-football-related betting markets.

But it does remind members to bet with caution as studies have shown professional athletes are more likely to develop problem habits.

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