FA charges Nottingham Forest’s Toffolo over betting breaches

All breaches took place between 22 January 2014 and 18 March 2017, with Toffolo allegedly placing a series of bets.

The breaches relate to FA Rule E8, which states any player, match official or coach must not bet, either directly or indirectly, on any matters related to football anywhere in the world.

The FA did not disclose further details at the time, with Toffolo having until 19 July to provide a response. 

Toffolo, who joined Premier League club Nottingham Forest in 2022, was playing for several clubs on loan during the period.

Loaned out by Norwich City, he played for Swindon Town, Rotherham United, Peterborough United and Scunthorpe United. All these clubs ply their trade in the lower leagues, outside the top-tier Premier League. 

Nottingham Forest is yet to issue a response to the charges.

Toney banned for eight months

The latest breaches come in the wake of the ban handed to Brentford and England striker Ivan Toney.

Brentford star Toney was handed an initial 11-month ban after being charged with 262 breaches of Rule E8. Toney was not playing for Premier League Brentford at the time of the violations.

The FA had identified an initial 232 breaches before more breaches were added in December 2022. A total of 30 breaches subsequently withdrew and Toney admitted to the remaining 232.  

Toney was also fined £50,000 (€57,559/$62,340) and warned about his future conduct.

However, the ban was then reduced to eight months after the player was officially diagnosed with a gambling addiction.

This was revealed in a document published by the FA’s Regulatory Commission. The document contained the written reasons behind Toney’s ban.

More recently, Port Vale defender Mitch Clark was given a suspended three-month ban and £600 fine for a betting violation.

Clark admitted placing 312 bets on football matches while playing for Accrington Stanley between February 2022 and March 2023. While almost all of Clark’s bets involved other teams, on one occasion the player bet on his own team to lose.

The FA opted to suspend the three-month ban for two years, pending any more violations of the FA’s betting rules.