Footballers who were banned or fined for betting offences

Brentford's chief goal-getter Ivan Toney is the latest to be handed a lengthy ban for betting offences, but he is far from alone in the list of players who have spent time on the sidelines for similar offences.

Betting has become commonplace for fans in sport - and football is no different. Despite the stringent rules in place, many players have failed to comply and as a result, faced punishment.

Due to such large amounts of money being involved, and, more importantly, a player's hard involvement in the outcomes of said bets, players are forbidden from making bets, getting others to bet on them or revealing sacred information.

Discussions of the relationship between footballers and gambling are rife and Toney's case will now only add fuel to the fire as its telling impact on sport, and in this case football especially, continues to rise.

The latest ban of Brentford's marksman Ivan Toney is a clear-cut reminder to those involved in the beautiful game that, no matter their talent or reputation, no one is exempt

Ivan Toney

Ivan Toney has made the headlines recently but, unfortunately for him, for all the wrong reasons.

He has been handed a significant eight-month ban after being found guilty of with 232 breaches of the set-in-stone rules regulated by the FA. Neither Brentford nor England will benefit from his services until January 16, 2024 as his ban oversees all football-related activities.

Toney has also been handed a hefty fine of £50,000 and given a serious warning over future incidences.

Kieran Trippier

Now plying his trade as captain for Newcastle, Trippier was entering his final days as a Tottenham player in the summer of 2019 and his future was uncertain, with plenty teams looking to sign him.

Atletico Madrid was his eventual destination, but the full-back revealed this information to his friends in a WhatsApp group prior to the move, with one friend using this disclosed intel to win big.

After an investigation from the FA, the England international was found guilty, given a ten-week ban and was fined £70,000 despite being unaware that his friend had made the bet.

Daniel Sturridge

Similarly to Trippier, former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge had provided his brother with classified information about his potential move to Sevilla, though he claimed the situation was "overblown and misconceived".

The inquiry into the case ended with Sturridge serving a four-month ban from all footballing activities and also a £150,000 fine.

Turkish club Trabzonspor, who Sturridge represented at the time of the offence, also terminated his contract, leaving him as a free agent.

Joey Barton

Joey Barton was no stranger to some sort of scandal in his playing days and his betting story is no different. While playing for Burnley, he was suspended for 18 months after breaching rules surrounding betting.

Though his ban was eventually reduced to 13 months, it marked the end of his career as he was forced into early retirement.

Barton remarkably placed 1,260 bets over a 12-year period which was reflected in his extensive ban, whereas most players usually face less time away from action.

Andros Townsend

Andros Townsend's bad habit spiralled out of control during a loan spell at Birmingham City as he previously admitted he had lost £46,000 in one night of his long

For his offences, he was handed a four-month ban but understood that his actions were wrong and made sure to set things right.

The former Tottenham and England international accepted his rightful punishment and sought the much-needed help to rid his damning addiction.

Martin Demichelis

Former Argentinian centre-back Martin Demichelis won a prestigious Premier League title, but was not immune to using his hard-earned wages to bet on football matches.

He managed to escape any form of ban but was charged £22,000 for his rule-breaking pastime, while the FA warned him over any future conduct.

Over the course of a three-week period, Demichelis had placed a total of 29 bets, though it was revealed that all bets placed were ones on which he had no overriding influence on the outcome.

Cameron Jerome

Cameron Jerome also came under the hammer when he admitted that he had repeatedly breached the betting regulations.

Back in 2013, the then-27 year-old received a £50,000 fine for breaking the rules, while the FA offered a stern reminder of the rules and the consequences if they are to be broken.

Interestingly, there was no suggestion the former Stoke striker gambled on games, nor was there evidence that he affected the outcome of any games.

Kynan Isaac

Possibly the most incredible story of all is regarding ex-Reading defender Kynan Isaac, who was given an 12-year ban from football back in late 2022.

An initial 10-year ban was imposed for his deliberate booking, which was betted on by friends. An extra 18 months was then added for breaching the rules for betting on matches and then a one-year extension was included for his failure to co-operate.

Isaac has essentially ended his time as a footballer for the sake of betting on one game he was actively involved in, Stratford's 5-1 loss to Shrewsbury.