Lewes footballer Danny Bassett faces FA charge relating to placing historical bets on football - Isthmian League footballers are banned from betting on any football worldwide despite the League sponsored by a gambling company

LEWES footballer Danny Bassett has been notified of charges relating to a breach of FA Rule E8 relating to placing historical bets on football.

The 29-year-old striker has previously played for a number of clubs, including Cray Wanderers, having started his non-league career at Staines Town in 2013.

Bassett scored the first goal in Lewes' 3-1 home win over Dartford yesterday, watched by a crowd of 1,022 at The Dripping Pan.

“Danny is awaiting a hearing date of an independent Regulatory Commission who will determine his case,” said the Isthmian League Premier Division club in a statement.

“Since being made aware of potential charges late last year, the club has given its full and unconditional support to Danny and will continue to do so.

“Following notification of the charges, Danny intends to begin a personal awareness campaign for non-league players to ensure they are aware of the regulations that apply to this level of football to mitigate the chance any player finds themselves in a similar situation. The club will fully support in that endeavour.

“The club has actively campaigned on the pervasiveness and harm of gambling advertisement in football since 2019.  That season we carried the charity sponsor Gambling with Lives on the front of our shirt to highlight the damage gambling advertising continues to case to our national game.

“At the time, we made a plea to football’s governing bodies to step up, and effectively and properly regulate the explosion of gambling advertising.  We have yet to see any kind of demonstration of this.

“Gambling advertising continues to suffocate football with little acknowledgement of the serious harms gambling addiction causes to people and communities.”

if you’re a footballer, manager, coach, medic, administrator (and match officials) that is at a club in tiers one to eight in English football, as well as around the world, then you are BANNED from betting on anything football related around the world.

The Premier League
EFL Championship, EFL League One, EFL League Two
National League
National League North and South
All Divisions of the Isthmian League, Northern Premier League and Southern League

For players (and managers, coaches, medic, administrators, match officials) in the Southern Counties East Football League and other Step Five and Step Six Leagues, please read The Football Association's guidance.

The Isthmian League, Northern Premier League and Southern League are all sponsored by Pitching In and The EFL is sponsored by a betting company too and so are the four divisions of the Scottlsh League.

The Isthmian League were the first League in the country to be sponsored back in 1973.

Previous sponsors of the Isthmian League include car company (Vauxhall), Italian sportswear brand (Diadora) and a stationery retail company (Ryman), who were title sponsors for 20 years until May 2017.

The Lewes statement said: “The League we currently compete in and the League in which Danny has played most of his career is currently sponsored by a gambling company.

“Pitching In is an organisation run by Entain PLC, who own, amongst others, Ladbrokes, Coral, Sportingbet and Bwin.  The Isthmian League has previously been sponsored by Bet Victor.

“The club expresses its dismay of the lack of educational resources available to players and staff around gambling. The irony is not lost on us that payers and staff are exposed to gambling messaging on a daily basis from a sport that actively permits and promotes gambling advertising.

“Neither the club nor player will make any further comment on the matter pending the outcome of the independent Regulatory Commission hearing.”

Visit Lewes website: www.lewesfc.com