League of Ireland players face being slapped with bans if they bet on ANY football worldwide.
And PFA Ireland boss Stephen McGuinness has called on former internationals ‘to lead by example’ and avoid working with betting companies.
Up to now, players in Ireland were not allowed to gamble on matches and competitions they were directly involved in. But a wager on an English Premier League game, for example, was permitted.
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Not any more.
On the back of a FIFA regulation, standard player contracts have been updated this month to reflect the global betting ban and will be enforced by the FAI going into the 2023 League of Ireland season.
McGuinness believes the stricter measures - which now mirror those in England - will be a wake up call in Irish dressing rooms.
But the PFA Ireland chief told Mirror Sport: “I agree with it. You can’t have any grey areas. It should be black and white that you can’t bet on any football - end of story.