According to a statement issued by the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA), Leighton Bennet and Billy Warriner have been suspended over accusations surrounding match-fixing.
The DRA launched an investigation into their alleged misconduct with the assistance of the Gambling Commission Sports Betting Intelligence after being alerted of a series of suspicious bets tied to four matches belonging to the Modus Super Series. All bets occurred between the 6th and 8th of September, 2023, and the games involved Leighton Bennett.
The International Betting Integrity Association was quick to detect the betting activity and inform the regulator of its findings. The length of the players’ suspensions will be determined by the outcome of the hearings surrounding the case, although the DRA did clarify that they can appeal their respective suspension orders.
Currently, there is no information on when exactly the DRA Disciplinary Committee will conduct a formal hearing, nor did the DRA specify the possible consequences each player could face beyond their suspensions. However, a ruling that saw Jack Main face punishment for his own involvement in match-fixing can give us an idea of what sanctions they will be subject to if they are proven guilty.
Last winter, Jack Main was accused of fixing the outcome of a Modus Super Series game held on June 9th, 2023, when he competed against Lisa Ashton. The investigation resulted in him being charged and suspended from participating in DRA events until December 31st, 2025. The DRA Disciplinary Committee also mandated that he pay just over £760 in costs.
He later appealed the committee’s decision, with Erika Riedl serving as the sole arbitrator of the appeal. After reviewing the case and the additional evidence handed over by Main, the Chair of the Appeals Committee reached the decision to uphold the DRA’s ruling.
Match-Fixers Make Multiple Attempts to Target Players
Match-fixing and any involvement in such plots is considered a serious offence in UK sports, which is why the various authorities tasked with regulating different sports have stringent rules regarding this form of misconduct. As revealed by Moses Swaibu, it is not unheard of for top football players to be targeted by match-fixers who would try to manipulate them into striking deals.
Swaibu used to play for Lincoln City until 2015, when he was found to have participated in a match-fixing scheme and was subsequently sentenced to one year and four months in prison for conspiracy to commit bribery. Swaibu has since made efforts to raise awareness of the risks associated with match-fixing and gambling among young players.
Yesterday, The Telegraph published an interview with Swaibu during which he said that in the several years he spent collaborating with the Premier League and the Football Association, no less than five players were contacted by match-fixers. According to Swaibu, footballers shared that they had been approached by match-fixers when visiting London casino establishments or simply being outside their training grounds. Their cases resemble his own situation, as he told The Telegraph that his involvement in misconduct began when a Russian match-fixer contacted him.
Some players have also told Swaibu that they gambled and did not understand the regulations surrounding betting bans, as their teams were sponsored by sportsbooks or casino operators. This drew attention to the issue of sports betting sponsorships in football, which has long been criticised by advocates for gambling reform.
- Author
Daniel Williams
