New Gambling Admission from UK Cricket Player Could Force Policy Changes

A professional person cricket participant in England with a penchant for gaming found sculptural relief through and through the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA). Azeem Rafiq ran upwardly gaming debts that the PCA covered for him. The revelations come up as the PCA is fighting major favouritism claims.

According to The Daily Mail, Rafiq, a 30-year-old former player with Yorkshire, racked upwardly gaming debts worth thousands of pounds several years ago. His interestingness inwards play was simply one of the “indiscretions,” as he calls them. But, the PCA stepped inward and wiped his slate clean. It also helped set up counseling for him.

The admittance comes as the PCA is the nerve center of attention in the UK over claims of rampant racism. Rafiq is 1 of those who claims he has been a victim of racialism during his clip on the pitch.

Rafiq has repeatedly criticized the PCA’s inability to keep him o'er racism accusations he made against players at Yorkshire and coaches at Yorkshire. Seven of these allegations were confirmed by an independent report.

Last month, he appeared before a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee. He was rough inward his criticisms of the union, expression they refused to back up him financially, and that its only vexation was for his mental health, which he says was evident during his suicidal full point shoemaker's last winter.

He stated during his visual aspect before the committee, “The PCA hold (sic) been a living to me end-to-end my calling in a lot of different other aspects. But inwards terms of this case, it was made pretty straighten out to me that the back up wasn’t there, and that’s simply a straight fact.”

Rafiq Isn’t the Only Gambling Athlete

Over the years, a identification number of athletes have run into trouble for their play habits. Basketball’s Michael Jordan, baseball’s Alex Rodriguez, and many others found themselves, at ace point or another, caught up inwards the action. Many were able-bodied to dungeon their activity under control, but some injury upwardly virtually penniless.

As sports betting continues to take centre stage, at that place are concerns that gambling athletes mightiness live trouble. Outstanding debts or simply an addiction to the activity, they assert, could tempt them to be swayed past an try to kettle of fish a game.

Most recently, NHL star Evander Kane was called out for his gambling debt. The San Jose Sharks forrard reportedly owed around $500,000 to The Cosmopolitan inward Las Vegas for markers that he had been extended. He was also accused of having bet on NHL games past his estranged wife. Her allegations were investigated past the NHL but they found no grounds of his wife’s claims.

Sports Leagues Look to Squash Sports Betting

Almost all major sports leagues feature provisions that forestall players and squad members from placing wagers on their own sport, but not on other sports. The NFL is the exception. It prohibits everyone in the league – except players – from any type of sports betting. In accordance with its Gambling Policy implemented in 2018, players are allowed to strike the sportsbook, as long as they’re not betting on an NFL game.

Betting on Other Sports: All NFL Personnel other than Players are further prohibited from placing, soliciting, or facilitating bets on any other professional (e.g., NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA, USTA, MLS), college (e.g., NCAA basketball), international (e.g., World Baseball Classic, World Cup), or Olympic sports competition, tournament or event,” the NFL’s policies on sports betting states.

The PCA is likely to accept another looking at at how it addresses sports betting inwards calorie-free of the issues raised during the electric current trial by ordeal with Rafiq. The organisation already has measures inwards position to stay fresh players forth from sports betting. But additional protocols could be introduced.

The organisation latterly teamed upwards with EPIC Risk Management to address play in cricket. While that accord is intentional to upgrade cognisance of gaming issues, it doesn’t point jock gaming prevention. With the changes that are coming to the UK gaming industry, it’s possible all sports leagues are sledding to experience to update their gaming policies.