Suspended England international footballer Ivan Toney, who broke betting rules including backing his own team to lose, was given a reduced ban after being diagnosed with a gambling addiction, the Football Association (FA) has revealed.
Steph Shilton, wife of former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton who lost millions of pounds due to a gambling addiction, has welcomed the reduced ban in recognition of Ivan Toney’s addiction. She says she hopes the footballer receives the support he needs to come through the other side of his addiction.
She said: “There is definitely a problem with gambling addiction in football and Peter recognises that. She helped Peter beat his addiction and now works for a charity supporting people whose loved ones have a gambling disorder.
“Toney has been reprimanded, which is a shame because we know gambling addiction is not a chosen illness. But by the same token, football clubs have to have rules and it is good that they have recognised his gambling addiction and reduced his suspension.”
Brentford striker Ivan Toney, 27, was banned for eight months for breaking FA betting rules – including betting against his own team.
FA rules ban players from betting on games or sharing information for betting purposes.
A psychiatry expert who gave evidence to the FA’s regulatory commission diagnosed Toney with a gambling addiction and concluded he needed help. This resulted in the commission reducing an 11-month sanction by three months.
The England international and Brentford footballer admitted 232 breaches of betting rules between February 2017 and January 2021. Last week, he was banned from all football activity until 16 January.
The FA has revealed in its written reasons for the eight-month ban that Toney staked 13 bets on his own team to lose in seven different matches between August 2017 and March 2018.
Eleven of those bets were against his former team Newcastle United and the other two were against Wigan, who he was on loan to at the time.
The FA said Toney’s ban was reduced from 11 months to eight months due to his good record, genuine remorse and his diagnosis of a gambling addiction.
Toney did not play in any of the matches he placed bets against as he was not in the match squad, or against his parent club as he was on loan.
The FA has said there was no evidence that Toney did – or was even in a position to – influence his own team to lose when he placed bets against them winning
Steph Shilton’s husband Peter, 72, is one of England’s footballing greats – Peter hid a 45-year gambling addiction before finally admitting he needed help and conquering it with Steph’s help.
Steph told i: “Footballers are in a position where they are expected to be on the straight and narrow, more so than a lot of other sports.
“They are in the public spotlight, and I think that is part of the problem – there is a lot of pressure and expectation on players and how they should behave.
“There are strict rules against gambling in football and betting on your own team and that is rightly so. It is good that gambling addiction is being recognised more and that there is a lot more help out there However, there is unfortunately still a lot of work to be done.
“I really hope Ivan Toney gets the help he needs and comes through this and that the club helps and supports him in his recovery.”
Toney is said to have ceased gambling on football, although not on other sports, and is “determined to address his gambling problem with therapy”.
Brentford have said they will support Toney with his addiction. In a statement, the club said: “The club will now be doing everything possible to provide support to Ivan and his family to deal with the issues raised in this case,
“We consider this matter closed and look forward to welcoming Ivan back to training in September.”