NZ club footballer suspended for breaching sports betting regulations

The amateur footballer has been suspended while the New Zealand Football and TAB NZ carry out a joint investigation.

New Zealand.- A New Zealand amateur footballer has been provisionally suspended for allegedly breaking sports betting regulations. The footballer plays in the Central League, an amateur club competition involving 10 teams from the lower half of the North Island. The best teams from the leagues in the north, centre and south of the island then play in the National League.

New Zealand Football (NZF) and TAB NZ have launched a joint investigation into whether the unidentified player has broken sports betting rules. Should the footballer be found to be in breach of the rules, he could face a ban of up to two years from participating in NZF competitions.

A statement issued by NZF reads: “the player’s activity was discovered as part of New Zealand Football’s integrity programme and information sharing partnership with TAB NZ.”

All players involved in New Zealand Football’s National League have to complete mandatory integrity training and are prohibited from gambling on the competition. TAB NZ recently began taking bets on the Central League.

See also: NZ study reveals few people with gambling problems seek help