Betting has become a big part of soccer, especially as they have become a big stakeholder through sponsorship of leagues and team shirts.
However, despite this deep involvement as a stakeholder, betting is banned and not legal for the players themselves due to the fact that it may aid match-fixing because they are involved in the game.
While many players abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the governing bodies of soccer, some have been found guilty of betting on games.
A few players have been illegally getting involved in getting, and some of them who have been caught have faced sanctions, the latest big name being Brentford’s star striker Ivan Toney.
In this article, we look at 10 big-name soccer players who have been previously caught and sanctioned for betting.
1. Ivan Toney
Many know Brentford’s prolific striker Ivan Toney and that he will finish as their top scorer this season despite recently getting banned for 8 months due to breaching the FA betting rules.
However, many do not know that the English FA has been investigating his case since 2022 for breaches that have run between February 2017 and January 2021.
Over 260 breaches were cited against him, the FA subsequently withdrew 30 of these breaches, and he admitted to the remaining 232.
Toney won’t return to training until September and won’t play a game until January 2024, in addition to a £50,000 fine.
2. Daniel Sturridge
Daniel Sturridge famously played for Liverpool and Chelsea, amongst other clubs; he also infamously “played for the bookies.”
In his case in 2019, Sturridge got a swift punishment for leaking transfer information that punters staked on in 2018.
The former England international leaked transfer details about a possible move to West Brom and Inter Milan and eventually joined the former in January 2018 on loan.
The striker, who was with Trabzonspor in Turkey at the time, got a £150,000 fine and a four months ban for his disservice.
3. Joey Barton
It isn’t surprising that one of the undisputed bad boys of soccer is involved in betting scandals. Similarly, his 18 months ban for betting is just one prominent among many others.
In 2016, it was discovered that Barton placed over 1200 bets between 2006 to 2016 involving his teams and teammates. Later, while playing for Glasgow Rangers, he breached a Scottish FA betting rule and was given a one-match ban.
It was after that, In April 2017, that he was given an 18 months ban by the English FA.
Interestingly, Joey Barton is one of the few soccer players who have gone to prison.
4. Andros Townsend
Townsend was a soccer player that was addicted to gambling and even confessed that he once lost up to £46,000 in a single night.
He got a four-month ban In the 2012/2013 season when he was on loan at Birmingham for breaching betting rules.
5. Kieran Trippier
Unfortunately, Kieran Trippier’s case was caused by close friends who took advantage of the information the Englishman shared on a WhatsApp group about a potential move to Atletico Madrid in 2019.
His friends staked heavily on that, and it tipped off the English FA to make an investigation into it before sanctioning the fullback and banned him from all soccer-related activity for 10 weeks, and fined £70,000, among others.
6. Alex Djiku
Unlike the others on this list, Alex Djiku’s case was not treated in isolation, as the Ghanaian defender was initially banned for a single game in the French League in December 2022 as part of an investigation into betting scandals.
The defender was among seventy-six (76) players and officials who flouted rules around players’ involvement in sports betting. However, his one-game suspension was successfully appealed.
7. Dan Gosling
Dan Gosling’s case was attributed to ignorance as the player claimed he was not aware of betting rules making around £5,000 profit from bets.
His case happened when he was playing for Newcastle United, and the £5,000 was donated to Newcastle United charity while also paying £30,000 in sanctions.
8. Jordan Stevens
While playing for Leeds United in 2018/2019, Jordan Stevens was exposed to have been heavily involved in betting, especially on his team, Leeds United.
Even though such actions ought to attract 12 months of sanctions, he was only banned for six weeks. The midfielder placed 59 bets during the course of the 2018/19 season, with five of these on matches involving the Whites.
9. Martin Demichelis
Former Manchester City player Martin Demichelis was also involved in betting problems in 2016, just two years after winning the Premier League with the citizens.
He was not banned, though, the Argentine, but he was fined £22,000 for placing 29 soccer bets on matches spanning a period of three weeks.
10. Cameron Jerome
In 2013, then Premier League side Stoje City had their player Cameron Jerome fined £50,000 and came under several sanctions for repeatedly breaking the FA betting rules.
There have been other less prominent cases and some that went without sanctions, like an ex-pro Matt Le Tissier, who revealed after retirement to have been involved in betting activity.
Less prominent players like semi-pro Wayne Shaw and Scott Kashket, among others.
