SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Cricket Regulator has banned Durham County and England national team cricketer Brydon Carse for multiple betting violations.
Carse is now suspended from professional cricket for 16 months, of which 13 will be suspended for two years. This prevents the South Africa-born player from competing between 28 May 2024-28 August 2024.
The player was charged with placing 303 bets on cricket matches between 2017 and 2019, although the regulator did note that he did not place any wagers on games in which he was participating.
The regulator also observed some mitigating factors when coming to its conclusion. This included his acceptance of the charges, cooperation with the regulator’s investigation, and remorse for his actions.
Dave Lewis, Interim Director of the Cricket Regulator, commented: “The Cricket Regulator takes any breach of integrity or misconduct rules seriously and I would encourage any participant, from within the professional game, who has gambled on cricket to come forward and not wait to be discovered.
“The Cricket Regulator understands the many challenges participants can face and will handle cases fairly, with understanding and support for anyone who wishes to come forward. We also encourage any participant struggling with any welfare concerns to seek assistance from the PCA or other trusted professional source.”
Similar to other sports such as football, cricket has extensive betting integrity rules. These rules prevent any professional participant in the game, including players, coaches or support staff, from betting on any cricket match anywhere in the world.
Carse’s ban comes just under two months after the England cricket season began on 5 April, with the campaign set to end on 29 September, and also in the midst of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, taking place in the West Indies and the US between 1-29 June.
A spokesperson for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said: “We take these matters extremely seriously and do not condone any form of anti-corruption breach in cricket.
“We support the Cricket Regulator’s decision and their consideration of the mitigating factors in Brydon’s case. He has co-operated and shown remorse for his actions. We are satisfied that Brydon has shown growth in the five years since this breach and has demonstrated a greater understanding of his responsibilities.
“We are hopeful that his case can serve as an educational example for other cricketers.”
