Betway Shuts Down Soccer Transfer Bets

Online sportsbook giant Betway says it will no longer be offering any betting markets related to soccer player-transfers. This will apply to all soccer teams and players across all territories served by the sports betting provider. Betway has furthermore also called on its market contemporaries to institute a similar rule by joining it in what it refers to as a ban that will ultimately help protect players without bookies having to forfeit too much in the way of profits.

The reason for the decision is according to the bookmaker the result of Betway not wanting to be involved with any activity that could potentially create opportunities surrounding the violation of the rules and regulations of professional league soccer. Betway says it deems bets wagered on player transfers to be a “grey area” and one that has caused considerable integrity issues in the past.

Betway Believes In The Pitch

Betway’s decision was announced by the bookmaker’s head of corporate communications,  namely Alan Alger. Betway made known its new stance by way of an official Wednesday statement, which also happened to correspond with the resumption of play by the English Premier League. According to Alger, the English FA has rigorously strict rules on betting in place and for this reason, so as to ensure compliance and peace of mind, the bookie has deemed it much safer to completely remove transfers betting as an option in its entirety.

Alger also said that since even without wagers accepted on player transfers, there remain left over literally hundreds of other soccer betting markets not quite as susceptible to corruption and integrity breaches. For this reason, concluded Alger’s statement, Betway is perfectly happy to immediately shutter its transfer betting product.

FA Not Tolerant Of Offenders

And that the English Football Association does indeed uphold a strict and unwavering policy on the sharing of any form of insider information, player transfers and otherwise, is no secret at all. The FA’s official rule book prohibits all forms of bets wagered by any player, member of management, or connected person. Rule E8 of the Football Association’s official  handbook makes specific reference to information relating to the transfer of players.

Alger at the time of the announcement reiterated once again that Betway had in no way whatsoever been involved in the recent scandal involving two professional soccer players having illegitimately shared confidential information regarding upcoming club transfers. Said Alger, football should only ever be about what happens out on the physical pitch.

Recent Scandals & Offenses

The mentioned scandal involved England striker Daniel Sturridge, who also happens to be a former Liverpool FC player, and Kieran Trippier, with last-mentioned having since being charged denied all wrongdoing along with having reportedly fully complied with the FA’s investigation process.

Sturridge, however, was initially banned for a period of six weeks after having been accused of telling a member of his family to wager a bet on the likelihood of a transfer involving himself being transferred to Sevilla FC back in 2018. Sturridge ultimately appealed against the FA’s initial ruling, which proved a particularly bad move as in the end, his band was extended to four months. The striker, who ended up being transferred to Trabzonspor in Turkey instead, also had to agree to part with a massive £150,000 fan – this as opposed to the original £75,000 fine initially handed down.

England’s Football Association has in the past permanently ousted players on charges related to similar offenses. Major bookmakers are constantly on the look-out for bet transgressions for fear of being stripped of their UK gambling licenses.