The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has admitted that the number of players battling a gambling addiction is a ‘growing concern’ for the UK game.
And that revelation comes in the wake of a new investigation into illegal gambling in football, which claims that as many as eleven players – including two World Cup winners and Leeds United defender Junior Firpo – will be accused of involvement in illegal gambling.
Meanwhile, the hearing into allegations of spot fixing by West Ham attacker Lucas Paqueta has been adjourned until June – reportedly because his own legal team is too busy to assist in the case until then.
Practical Help
A number of former footballers, including Dean Sturridge and Steve Claridge, have come forward recently to detail the struggles that they faced with gambling during their playing careers.
The latter revealed that he once sold his house and wagered the proceeds on a horse at the Cheltenham Festival, confirming the extent of his own personal problem.
In Northern Ireland, Aaron Hogg is just one professional player that has spoken of battling addiction during his career, with the PFA there calling upon the services of Gamban to help combat the issue.
Gamban is a software package that enables individuals to block gambling apps on their phones and tablets, and PFA chiefs in Northern Ireland want to offer their players ‘practical help’ when they need it.
The PFA’s chief executive, Michael Carvill, commented: “As the representative body for professional footballers in Northern Ireland, we are committed to supporting our members both on and off the pitch.
“Gambling addiction is a growing concern within football and this partnership with Gamban is a significant step in providing practical help to those who need it.”
World Cup Winners in Illegal Gambling Investigation
Eleven footballers that play, or have played, in Italy are being investigated over their part in alleged illegal betting, authorities in the country have revealed.
The group includes Argentine World Cup winners Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes, as well as current Leeds United left back Junior Firpo, Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie and AC Milan’s Alessandro Florenzi.
The eleven players named in the writ, alongside ATP tennis pro Matteo Gigante, have been accused of using illegal betting platforms to wager on sports or play online poker in the period between December 2021 and October 2023.
There is no suggestion, however, that they have bet on football (or tennis, in Gigante’s case).
The emerging news, broken by Milan newspaper Corriere della Sera, confirms the identities of the players, and suggests that other than a fine they will likely avoid any further punishment as they haven’t breached any rules prohibiting them from betting on football.
This new investigation has come to light in the wake of the examination into the conduct of Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Fagioli, who were both suspended from the game in 2024 for illegal betting – which included wagering on football matches. The eleven players mentioned came to light following an analysis of Tonali and Fagioli’s mobile phones.
Of the group named, one player – Nicolo Zaniolo – was quizzed by authorities but escaped punishment as part of the investigation into Tonali and Fagioli.
Newcastle United midfielder Tonali ultimately served ten months, while Fagioli was given a seven month ban for his own betting rule breaches.
In Limbo
The investigation into Lucas Paqueta’s alleged spot fixing has been delayed until June – meaning that the Brazilian must play out the rest of the 2024/25 season in limbo.
The West Ham man could, in theory, be banned for life if found guilty of deliberately picking up a spate of bookings in Premier League games.
His hearing began on March 17 and was supposed to be concluded by early April, however so much evidence has been submitted to the panel for consideration that a further couple of weeks are required.
However, Paqueta’s own legal team are also involved in other matters, and so the case has been delayed until June.
Apparently, one source has told the Daily Mail that Paqueta has endured ‘good days and bad days’ in the court room, with no indication of whether he will be found guilty or not.
It was back in May 2024 that the 27-year-old was charged by the Football Association for allegedly getting booked on purpose in four different games, with the aim of ‘the improper purpose of affecting the betting market.’
It has been alleged that a number of people in Brazil, including Paqueta’s own family members, had bet on the West Ham man to be shown a yellow card in the games in question.