TOP 5 Sports Gambling Scandals Of Recent Years (2020-2025)

If you’ve ever taken a punt, there’s always a small chance that the matches you bet on might end up in future sports gambling scandals.

No one likes to think about it, but sometimes the beautiful game turns ugly. We as professional tipsters rely on complex algorithms, knowledge of the teams form, detailed statistics, but we can’t know when someone decides to throw a match for his own benefit.

Behind the chants and cheers lies a shadow that continues to darken the pitch—sports gambling scandals.

From Premier League icons to non-league hopefuls, here’s what you will read in today’s Betinum article:

⚽ Ivan Toney – Shocked fans by placing 232 bets, including wagers on his own team.

🔥Sandro Tonali – A rising star brought down after admitting to betting on his own matches while at AC Milan.

📊 Harry Toffolo – Quietly broke records with 375 bets, many on games he played in, earning a suspended ban.

📉 Daniel Sturridge – Leaked insider transfer info to family for betting, leading to a four-month worldwide suspension.

🟥 Kynan Isaac – Non-league player banned for 10 years after betting against his own team in an FA Cup match.

1. Ivan Toney – 232 Betting Breaches Shock the Football World | Sports Gambling Scandals 

When news broke in May 2023 that Brentford and England striker Ivan Toney had committed 232 betting breaches, fans were left speechless. At the time, Toney was in career-best form—top scorer, England hopeful—and the revelation felt like a betrayal.

And if that wasn’t enough, on 20 December the FA charged him with a further 30 breaches of betting laws, bringing the total charges to 262.

The FA found he’d not only bet on matches involving his own club but had even wagered against them—though never while playing—and placed bets on himself to score in certain games.

The results and punishment for this breach of trust? The FA considered a 15-month ban, but amid his admission of a gambling addiction and clear remorse, brought it down to eight months plus a £50,000 fine.

What does that say for football tipsters? Even the boldest football predictions from professional tipsters can’t compare with someone actually playing in the game. 

Despite that, we continue everyday to create our predictions based on methods that make our clients money. Learn more about Betinum’s subscription plans here. 

2. Sandro Tonali – The Quiet Descent of a Rising Star

Sandro Tonali’s 2023 gambling ban hit out of the blue, yet it carried heavy shockwaves. Once a prodigious talent at AC Milan, his transfer to Newcastle was meant to mark the next step. 

Instead, it later emerged that Tonali had not only bet on his own team, but also attempted to conceal his involvement, further damaging his integrity in the eyes of fans and officials alike. 

The reveal stunned supporters who saw him as a grounded, focused professional. Despite initial fears of a three-year suspension, his eventual admission, entry into rehabilitation, and full cooperation with investigators led to a global 10-month ban—two months of which were suspended after his move to Newcastle.

Suddenly, Tonali was no longer just a midfield maestro, but a cautionary emblem within the landscape of sports gambling scandals and a vivid reminder of how fragile reputation and mental resilience really are.

3. Harry Toffolo – A Stat Sheet Too Large to Ignore | Sports Gambling Scandals

Harry Toffolo’s name never lit up headlines, but behind the scenes, his case grew into one of the quiet giants of sports gambling scandals. When the FA revealed he had placed 375 bets over a three-year span (2014–2017)—more than half involving games he played in—it didn’t come with tabloid shock, but with a lingering sense of unease.

Toffolo didn’t deny it; he cooperated fully, expressed remorse, and, crucially, wasn’t linked to any match-fixing. There was no dramatic sting operation, no leaked messages, just numbers—lots of them. And that’s what made it haunting.

The result? A five-month ban, suspended, and a £20,956 fine. Fans didn’t turn on him—but many wondered: how did it go on for so long unnoticed? His case peeled back a layer of routine behavior hiding in plain sight. 

In a sport drenched in betting ads, Toffolo became the soft-spoken symbol of how sports gambling scandals aren’t always about malice—they’re often about momentum left unchecked.

4. Daniel Sturridge – From Premier League Star to Fall From Grace

Daniel Sturridge’s descent into the world of sports gambling scandals didn’t explode with match-fixing headlines—it crept in quietly, but hit just as hard.

Once a Premier League darling with a killer instinct and iconic celebrations, his fall came through something far less theatrical: leaked football tips.

In 2020, he told his brother to place a bet on a rumoured transfer to Sevilla—a move that ultimately never happened. It was a moment of casual indiscretion, but for the FA, it was a serious breach of trust.

He received a four-month global ban and a £150,000 fine for misusing insider information—one of the clearest warning shots ever fired about transfer secrecy. Fans weren’t just disappointed—they were heartbroken. A star they’d rooted for had crossed a line they didn’t expect. 

5. Kynan Isaac – Sports Gambling Scandals from the Lower Leagues

Kynan Isaac’s name wasn’t famous like all the rest in this list. But his sports gambling scandal rocked the foundations of English football. In 2022, the defender was found guilty of betting against his own team during an FA Cup match he played in.

Linked to a wider spot-fixing ring, Isaac’s actions shattered the trust that lower-league football runs on. 

The FA didn’t hesitate and imposed a total 10 year ban, effectively ending his career. For many fans, it was a chilling reminder that sports gambling scandals don’t just happen at the top.