Gambling Scandals in Football

Gambling scandals have plagued the world of sport for years, and English football is no exception. The Football Association, the governing body for English football, has long taken a hard stance against gambling. In fact, in 2014 the FA updated its rules to explicitly prohibit players from betting on any professional football match, either in England or abroad. Despite this, there have been some major gambling scandals involving English football teams over the years, which have resulted in some serious consequences. Here, we take a look at some of the biggest gambling scandals in the history of English football. 

The George Graham Affair 

In 1995, then-Arsenal manager George Graham was found guilty of taking £425,000 in illegal payments from agent Rune Hauge. Graham had accepted the money in exchange for signing certain players, which constituted a breach of the FA’s rule prohibiting managers from receiving any financial benefit from the transfer of players. As a result, Graham was fined £50,000 and banned from football management for a year. 

The Paul Merson Affair 

In 1997, Arsenal player Paul Merson was found guilty of betting on football matches, in violation of the FA’s rules. Merson had placed bets on matches in the English and Scottish leagues and had even bet on his own team to lose. As a result, Merson was fined £30,000 and was suspended for three months. More recently, he has revealed that he lost £160,000 betting on table tennis.

The Carlos Tevez Affair 

In 2006, West Ham United were found guilty of breaching FA rules by signing Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, who were both owned by a third party. This constituted a breach of the FA’s rules prohibiting third-party ownership of players. As a result, West Ham were fined £5.5 million and were later relegated to the Championship. 

The Joey Barton Affair 

In 2016, Burnley player Joey Barton was found guilty of breaching the FA’s rules by placing 1,260 bets on football matches between 2006 and 2016. Barton was fined £30,000 and was banned from football for 18 months. 

The Sam Allardyce Affair 

This scandal has not much to do with gambling as such, but it still deserves to be mentioned. In 2016, then-England manager Sam Allardyce was found guilty of breaking FA rules by offering advice on how to circumvent their rules on third-party ownership of players. Allardyce had also agreed to a £400,000 deal with a fake firm in exchange for helping to facilitate the deal. As a result, Allardyce was forced to resign from his position as England manager. 

The Eric Cantona Affair 

In 1995, Manchester United player Eric Cantona was found guilty of assaulting a Crystal Palace fan during a match. Cantona had kicked the fan, and was subsequently charged with assault and banned from playing football for nine months. The FA also imposed a £30,000 fine, which was the largest financial penalty ever issued to a player at the time.

The Matthew Etherington Affair 

In 2014, Stoke City player Matthew Etherington was fined £37,500 by the FA for breaking their rules on gambling. Etherington had placed bets on football matches over a period of 10 years, including on his own team. The FA also warned Etherington that any further breach of their rules would result in a life ban from football. 

The Harry Redknapp Affair 

In 2012, then-Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp was found guilty of two counts of tax evasion. Redknapp had failed to declare £189,000 in payments from an offshore bank account and was fined £100,000 and sentenced to 300 hours of community service. Redknapp was also removed from his role as England manager, which he had been offered shortly before the verdict.

The importance of choosing a safe gambling site

For the average betting fan, it is important to only play at licensed gaming sites in order to protect themselves and their money. Licensed sites in the UK are regulated by the Gambling Commission, which means that they must adhere to strict standards of fairness, safety and accountability. This helps to ensure that the player’s money is safe and that any winnings are paid out in a timely manner. Furthermore, licensed gambling sites and safe online casinos like these are regularly monitored to ensure that they are not engaging in any shady or illegal practices. By playing at licensed sites, betting fans can rest assured that they are protected and that their money is safe.