LONDON: Greg Dyke believes a blanket prohibition on any form of football betting by players and club staff is just around the corner.

The Football Association chairman was speaking after the latest incident which saw Newcastle United’s Dan Gosling admit a misconduct charge on Monday. Premier League players Andros Townsend and Cameron Jerome have previously been fined for rule breaches.

Dyke, interviewed by the BBC, said: “No final decision has been made, but it [a complete ban] is one of the things that’s being discussed. The FA is looking again at the whole of betting and who should be allowed to bet on football in the football industry. In the next few weeks, we’ll come out with a policy.”

A full ban is in place in Scotland, and while employees of English clubs can gamble on football matches, restrictions are in place.

The current regulations can be viewed clearly on the FA’s website. Rule E8b  states that a player “shall not bet, either directly or indirectly” on matches involving themselves or their team as well as the competition they play in or have played in.

In addition, players are prohibited from betting in “any other matter concerning or related to any club participating in any league competition that the participant is participating in or has participated in during that season”.

Dyke added: “We’ve got to take it more seriously and do a bigger education programme among players and the rest of the staff in football. I don’t think anyone knows how bad it is, because unless we find it or someone else finds it and it is brought to our attention, we don’t know.

“I think recent events, though, have suggested to us that we need to take it very seriously and that’s what we’re doing.”

‘Multiple breaches’

The FA has said Gosling’s charge relates to “multiple breaches” and that the 24-year-old midfielder has requested a personal hearing to answer his case.

Tottenham and England winger Townsend and Stoke striker Jerome, who is currently on loan at Crystal Palace, both received fines last year for breaking the regulations.

However, it is believed neither player was charged over bets relating to games in which they or their clubs were involved.

Tranmere manager Ronnie Moore was suspended by the League One club last month until the FA completes an investigation into a potential rule breach in relation to betting.

In August, Accrington Stanley managing director Robert Heys was banned for 21 months after admitting 735 breaches – including 231 bets on the outcome of matches involving his own club – and subsequently left his position after failing with an appeal to shorten his suspension.

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