FA blanket betting ban takes effect

English Football Association (FA) regulations banning all football club employees from betting have come into effect.

The rules affect players, coaches and officials, who are now prohibited from gambling on any football events worldwide, including transfers and manager appointments.

FA general secretary Alex Horne says the move will help combat match fixing.

"We are really proud of the integrity of the game in this country and it is really important people trust what is happening on the pitch.

"There have been some cases and prosecutions [for match-fixing] in this country and we don't want to see it.

"We want to keep our message as simple as possible – and it cannot be more simple that as a player you cannot bet at all on football."

The FA will distribute a promotional video to the clubs affected by the ban ̶ those in the top eight tiers of English football.

The new charter is a step up from previous rules which simply banned players from betting on competitions they were involved in.

Earlier this year Premier League players Dan Gosling and Andros Townsend were fined £30,000 and £18,000 respectively by the FA for betting-related breaches.