Football betting will soon be history, if Football Association (FA) has its way.
After Newcastle United’s Dan Gosling admitting to FA betting charge, the association is considering a football betting ban on staff and players.
FA chairman Greg Dyke told BBC no final decision has been made, but it [a complete ban] is one of the things that’s being discussed.
However, the question being raised is whether a blanket ban on betting on football matches is a good solution.
“The FA is looking again at the whole of betting and who should be allowed to bet on football in the football industry. In the next few weeks, we’ll come out with a policy.”
Scotland already bans football betting but the staff of English clubs are allowed to gamble on football matches.
For details of rules controlling football gambling are on FA website.
The current rules prohibit players from gambling on matches involving themselves or their team as well as on the opposition team.
No player is allowed to bet on any club participating in any league where the player is playing during the season.
The 24 year-old Dan Gosling is one of the latest players to be charged with football betting.
Tottenham and England winger Townsend and Stoke striker Jerome were fined last year for betting.
According to BBC, Accrington Stanley managing director Robert Heys was banned for 21 months after admitting 735 breaches – including 231 bets on the outcome of matches involving his own club.
Greg wants a complete ban. “Perhaps the answer is to ban all betting on football for anyone who’s involved in football.”
“We’ve got to take it more seriously and do a bigger education programme among players and the rest of the staff in football.
However, many clubs want ambiguous betting regulations to be changed to bring more clarity.
Not many clubs are in favour of a complete ban on betting.
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