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Q&A

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

Nobody in professional football can bet on the sport, or give inside information that can be used to bet on games. Doing so risks a fine or life ban.

Punishments increase depending on the closeness of the player to the match in question. So if Toney had bet on a competition he was not involved in, that is the lowest severity. For bets on competitions he played in, the tariff goes up, and most serious of all are those bets which concern his own club.

The harshest punishments are for bets on matches a player was involved in. Giving inside information risks a ban of anything from six months to life.

WHAT ARE THE FINDINGS?

Toney is described as a ‘prolific gambler’ who admitted ‘repeatedly lying’ about whether he had bet. He was found to have used other people’s accounts to bet, with the intention of concealing his actions.

He bet 13 times on his team to lose — 11 of which were on Newcastle while he was on loan elsewhere, and two on Wigan when he wasn’t part of the matchday squad. He bet on his team to win 16 times. He was not involved in any of those games. He bet on himself to score in nine different matches.

HOW WAS HE PUNISHED?

Toney has been banned for eight months, fined £50,000 and warned over his future conduct.

WHY NOT A LONGER BAN?

The FA wanted a minimum 12-month ban, claiming there was ‘insufficient evidence’ of a gambling problem. The commission decided on 15 months, but this was reduced when considering Toney’s guilty plea and the fact he was diagnosed with a gambling addiction.

They also factored in his age when the offences were committed — starting at 21 — and that he has committed to therapy.

Football

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2023-05-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-05-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://mailonline.pressreader.com/article/282754886075758

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