UK Law and Practice Contributed by: Alistair McHenry, Sofia Antipatis and Rebecca Dods, Tyr
• Cricket – the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Anti-Corruption Code bans betting on cricket, and misuse of inside information and fixing, supported by an active Anti-Corruption Unit. These sport-specific rules operate alongside the crim - inal offence of cheating at gambling, which may be prosecuted where manipulation or insider information misuse crosses into criminality. Sports-Regulator-Operator Co-operation Betting integrity co-ordination is led by the Gam - bling Commission’s Sports Betting Intelligence Unit (SBIU) and the Sports Betting Integrity Forum (SBIF). Licensed operators must report suspicious activity. The SBIU aggregates intelligence from bookmakers, NGBs, law enforcement and the public, triggering joint investigations where necessary. Major events receive enhanced integrity support, including co-ordinated processes, cross-partner communication and inter - national links (such as with the Group of Copenhagen) to manage cross-border alerts. In practice, it is mostly lower-profile events which attract suspicious betting and which may be more vulnerable to manipulation. Recent sanctions In football, in 2023 the ex-Brentford striker Ivan Ton - ey was banned for eight months after admitting to 232 breaches of the FA’s betting rules and, in 2024, Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali received a two-month suspended ban from the FA (on top of a longer ban from the Italian FA) for admitted breaches The disciplinary framework across UK sports is designed to ensure that allegations involving doping, match fixing, integrity breaches or betting offences are handled through transparent and procedurally fair mechanisms. Although each NGB applies its own rules, most operate within a broadly consistent struc - ture shaped by the World Anti-Doping Code, national integrity policies and sport-specific regulations. Receipt of Allegation or Intelligence Trigger of betting rules involving his team. 1.4 Disciplinary Framework A disciplinary process usually begins when a govern - ing body receives a complaint, test result, whistle- blower report, suspicious betting alert or other cred -
ible intelligence. Notifications may arise internally (ie, from athlete support personnel, club officials or integ - rity officers) or externally from bodies such as UK Anti- Doping, the Gambling Commission’s Sports Betting Intelligence Unit, betting operators under mandatory reporting rules, or international integrity partners. Formal investigation Once an issue is identified, an investigation may be commenced. This may involve collecting documents, interviewing witnesses, reviewing digital communica - tions, analysing laboratory findings and working with external organisations such as UKAD, law enforce - ment or integrity monitoring services. Investigatory powers vary between sports, but participation nor - mally obliges athletes, coaches and officials to co- operate fully with requests. Charge If sufficient evidence of a potential rule violation is found, a formal charge will be issued under the sport’s relevant regulations or disciplinary code. The charged party receives a notice setting out the alleged miscon - duct, supporting evidence and information on proce - dural rights available throughout the process. Determination by an independent tribunal Most UK NGBs and independent agencies refer con - tested cases to an independent specialist tribunal. The tribunal reviews written and oral evidence, hears legal submissions, and applies the sport’s standard of proof – typically the balance of probabilities – although this does vary. If the individual admits the charge, the panel may move directly to sanction. Appeal routes Following a decision, parties may have a right of appeal. Some sports provide internal appellate bod - ies, while others allow ultimate appeal to the CAS, which may conduct a full de novo rehearing depend - ing on the governing rules.
2. Commercial Rights 2.1 Sports-Related Rights
Commercialisation in UK sport extends far beyond sponsorship and broadcasting. Rights holders, includ -
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