Key points:
- Breaches relate to bets on matches in Ireland and worldwide
- Rainey hopes “that my experience assists in reform of gambling advertising”
Ryan Rainey, who most recently played for Finn Harps from the League of Ireland, has been suspended by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) for six months for betting breaches.
The breaches relate to a number of League of Ireland and Men’s FAI Cup games which took place between 2021 and 2024 and to bets on football matches worldwide in 2024.
The Professional Footballers Association of Ireland (PFA Ireland) has released a statement on behalf of Rainey in response to this suspension.
The former Harps midfielder acknowledged that he broke rules but says he did not bet on a match in which he was involved in, accepting the suspension and saying he will not be appealing it.
At the same time, Rainey does make reference to gambling advertising surrounding football matches and he hopes there can be reform of it.
In the statement it reads: "My name is Ryan Rainey and I have a gambling addiction. I am also a young man who grew up wanting nothing more than to play football. I realised my dream but then reality struck. The constant stream of gambling adverts, the spare time and desire for stimulation while watching matches on television meant I developed an addiction which overtook common sense and led me down a path I now sincerely regret.
"While I fully acknowledge that I broke the FAl's rules on betting on any matches, I stress that I did not bet on a match in which I was involved. I fully respect the integrity of the game and would not involve myself in any action that would threaten that. However, I also realise that the betting rules are in place for a reason and that I breached them. That is on me and I accept full responsibility."
Good to know: West Ham United's Lucas Paqueta in the last few months has been subject to an investigation related to betting breaches
This news comes just over a month after Ireland passed its long-awaited Gambling Regulation Bill which brought in a number of measures which included gambling advertising being prohibited between 5.30am and 9pm.
While, in the North of Ireland, Stormont Assembly’s All-Party Group on Reducing Harm Relating to Gambling have been recently pushing the UK Government to restrict gambling advertising.
