UKGC responds to the FA’s end of relationship with betting

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has issued a response to yesterday’s news that the English Football Association (FA) has ended all commercial ties with the betting/gambling industry.

Following a governance review, the FA has decided to end its £4 million per year betting partnership with Ladbrokes, just one year into its four-year contract.

English football’s governing body is reported to have deemed the commercial tie-in as inappropriate and incompatible with its position of enforcing strict non-betting rules for all professional football stakeholders.

The governing body had come under fire, following the high profile betting infringement cases of Burnley Midfielder Joey Barton and the ‘Piegate incident’ during non-league Sutton United’s FA Cup 5th round tie against Arsenal FC

The UKGC has issued a statement to reassure customers and fans that the industry will continue to work with the governing body on “sport betting integrity issues”. The statement reads

`The Gambling Commission’s Sports Betting intelligence Unit has strong and effective partnerships with sports governing bodies and the gambling industry to identify and take action against any betting activity that threatens the integrity of sport in this country. That important work will not be adversely impacted by today’s decision.”

Ladbrokes governance yesterday detailed that it had accepted the FA’s position on the matter, and that it would still advise the governing body on matters relating to football integrity.