FA Betting Rules – The Tough Requirements
Image source: The Football Association, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
FA Betting Rules – The Requirements of the Football Association
Of all sports, football is certainly up there in the lofty heights as one of the most universally loved and watched games in the world. English League Football is as popular as ever, even eclipsing Series A and Las Liga for the number of fans and supporters. Overseeing the behaviour of all UK teams stands the venerable Football Association (FA). FA betting rules are tasked with keeping the game respectable and maintaining a sense of fairness across all football matches, players and officials.
One of the biggest problems for them, apart from doping, is players and team staff placing bets on games they are involved in. This should be a huge no-no, as it is. But catching those who do so is not so easy. Today we’re going to take a deeper look at insider betting in football and what the FA can do about it. We should start by looking at the FA mandate. The FA betting rules cover everyone involved in professional football. This includes all players, teams, officials, ground staff, in fact any with a connection to football with concern to the top eight tiers of English football.
The rule is simple: you can’t place any wager on any match, world-wide, period.
Keep the Game Special
It was back during the 2014 -2015 season that the FA first introduced their total ban on all gambling activity which involved the betting on football. It’s a blanket ban, and if you have even the slightest relationship to professional football, then it applies to you. These FA betting rules not only covers betting within the UK, but all football betting anywhere in the world. So there’s no betting on who the next manager of a Series A team might be. Or which teams might be relegated at the end of the current season. Blanket means blanket, with every possible angle of professional football covered.
In the beginning, some voiced opposition, claiming that the ban was far too strong. But today, in the age of the internet, the ban on betting is seen as a necessary tool for fighting corruption within the game. Professional football runs on sponsorship. Any negative things that might reflect badly on the sport in the eyes of the public mean a team might lose a contract, or football shirt deal, and be millions of pounds down. So in some ways, the FA betting rules are there to keep the monies flowing by ensuring that players and teams don’t cross a line in the sand.
The FA also takes a keen interest concerning leaks of information, bribes, and other illegal acts that could bring the game into disrespect.
FA Betting Rules – Inside Information
This is knowledge gained during your job. It’s information that’s not yet in the public domain. For example, a player might have been injured during that morning’s training. Or that the manager has just agreed to a transfer deal. For a betting man, this sort of information will give you an edge and increase your jackpot winning chances. For large betting groups, this is gold and would allow them to make huge returns on a little layout. According to FA betting rules all this type of knowledge is forbidden to be aired outside the changing room or club board room.
If you were privy to certain information, you’re legally barred from discussing it with your wife or partner. If a leak could be traced back to the source, then heads would certainly roll. Any use of insider information is going to be a breach of the FA betting rules. You can’t use this information on any football-related matters if you’re involved with the game in any shape or form. And that includes getting other people to place bets for you. Apart from sanctions from the FA, you could be sued by the betting companies.
Even if someone doesn’t act on the information, if it came from within the football profession, then that’s still classed as breaking the FA betting rules. Remember it’s about the communication itself, not the means used to communicate. So word of mouth, a letter or email, and social media posting, all fall under the heading of passing insider information.
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Match Fixing
Now we’re heading into really serious territory. Match-fixing is arranging the outcome of a match and usually goes hand in hand with illegal betting. As huge amounts of cash change hands at every football match thanks to sports betting, then is only logical that there will be some people who will see this as an opportunity to circumnavigate laws to make a large payday. This is not just breaking FA betting rules, but it’s also highly illegal, and will see those caught doing prison time. Whether you’re offering a bribe or receiving one, your football days will be numbered.
Match-fixing is without doubt the biggest threat to the integrity of football today. The idea that a player or goalkeeper might throw a game to make some more cash is pretty bonkers. Especially when you consider just how much these players can earn. The real problem is that no one wants to admit, that it could very well be going on all the time. And unless someone squeals, the authorities would never know. With Far Eastern betting crime gangs active in UK betting, there’s always an element of fear involved for those who refuse. Try to make it rich by cheating is a pretty poor jackpot winning strategy.
FA Betting Rules – Commercials
Whether you’re a player or ground staff, or everyone in between, you can’t promote any products that are related to betting or gambling. So no advertisements or promotions of any sort, including voice ads on the radio. Also, the football clubs themselves are obliged not to encourage any player or member of staff to take part in betting. This means that all staff are forbidden from placing bets or having someone place bets for them. But if you have no connection to a football team in a professional capacity, the we recommend using 22BET Sportsbook for the best odds and a great selection of games.
Getting Caught is Serious Stuff
If you think you can have a flutter as a football player, whether in person or using online toto sites, then you need to re-think your life choices. Not only is the FA on the lookout for those breaking the rules, but also the UK Gambling Commission, and all the sportsbooks. Betting companies have sophisticated systems for monitoring all wagers and for detecting betting inconsistencies and rule breaches. The chances of getting caught are just not worth the penalties. If you’re found guilty, then it’s going to be touch and go as to whether you still have a career in the game in front of you.
It’s one thing to face censure from the FA or betting companies. But the moment the media get a whiff of something illegal, like hounds after hind, it’s another punishment for the guilty party and their family. Like circling sharks, they will spend a lot of time, energy and money the moment they smell blood in the water. The press has a horrible habit of appealing to the lowest draw and will spread a scandal out for weeks until they’ve exhausted every angle. They delight in seeing a reputation in tatters and promising careers cut short.
FA Betting Rules – Famous Suspensions
Unfortunately, there have been numerous stories of footballer falling foul of the FA betting rules. For some, the ordeal by media was over in a relatively short time. But for others, it marked the beginning of the end of their footballing careers.
Probably one of the most famous, and yet saddest, was the story of Joey Barton. In 2016, he was top of his game, playing for one of the greatest teams in the world, Manchester United. He then moved on to Newcastle and Burnley. All told, he made a total of 386 appearances. But in October he was charged with breaking FA betting rules governing betting on football matches. He gave a rather foolish interview where he claimed that at least half of professional footballers were betting on games in the hope of winning a football jackpot. For his pains, he received an 18-month ban.
Over the years, other players have been caught out. They include Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Martin Demichelis (Manchester City), Cameron Jerome (Stoke City) and Matt Le Tissier (Southampton). On the whole, they are fined by the FA with amounts ranging from £5,000 to £50,000. But it could be argued that this is just small change when compared to their wages.
Conclusion: FA Betting Rules
With professional football being such a huge money-spinner for sportsbooks, like 22BET Sportsbook, and the clubs themselves, any hint of inappropriate behaviour with regards to betting from within the clubs needs to carry heavy sanctions. The fact that a goalkeeper can “throw” a game almost unnoticed, is a constant reminder of why the FA needs to be strong. The whole football betting industry relies on the FA betting rules to keep the matches fair and the results being trustworthy. Nothing is going to hurt a punter more, than discovering at a later date, that the match he bet on was fixed. All the many different methods of betting will mean nothing in the face of a fixed match.
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