SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Premier League footballer Ivan Toney has been charged by the FA with multiple breaches of betting rules.
The Brentford FC forward is accused of violating FA Rule E8 232 times between 25 February 2017 and 23 January 2022, and could face a potential ban from professional football as a result.
He has until Thursday 24 November to provide an update to the FA on the situation, although the player had previously stated that he had been cooperating with the association.
Allegations of Toney’s betting activity were first broken last week by The Sun, which reported that he had engaged in betting on football whilst a lower league player.
“I’m aware of a story about me in a national newspaper today,” Toney wrote on Twitter following the news.
“I have been assisting the Football Association with their enquiries and will not be making any comment until such an investigation has reached its conclusion.”
— Ivan Toney (@ivantoney24) November 5, 2022
Prior to joining Brentford earlier this year, Toney played for Northampton Town, Newcastle United – where he was loaned out to Barnsley, Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe United and Wigan Athletic – and Peterborough United.
The betting allegations came ahead of the announcement of the England national squad for the World Cup, the team’s first game being against Iran on Monday 21 November.
A statement from Brentford FC read: “Brentford FC has been informed that Ivan Toney has been charged with breaches of FA Rule E8.
“The club has been in discussion with Ivan and his legal representatives about this matter and those conversations will continue privately.
“We will make no further comment until the matter has been completed.”
If it is proven that Toney did place any of the bets, the repercussions for his career could be severe – in January of last year England and Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier was handed a £70,000 fine and 10-week ban by the FA for encouraging friends to bet on his transfer to Atletico Madrid.
The FA Rule E8 prohibits all professional players from the Premier League, EFL Championship, League One and League Two, National League, National League North and South and Trident Leagues from any form of football betting.
