Yellow Card Betting May Get the Boot in England

The Daily Mail reports that the English Football Association (FA) is thinking about banning bookies from taking bets on certain things that happen in the game, like yellow cards.

The move comes amid growing concerns over illegal betting schemes that target specific outcomes. A case in point is the FA’s probe into West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who allegedly got himself booked on purpose in at least one match (maybe even three) to rig the bets.

The FA has reportedly talked to local betting firms and the government about putting limits on what kinds of bets are allowed.

Besides yellow cards, other events like corners and penalties could also be off the table for bettors.

The Premier League is expected to back the plan if it goes through.

The UK Gambling Commission has the final say on betting rules, but the FA could persuade bookmakers to change their policies voluntarily. Some companies in the UK market (Unibet and 32Red) have already stopped taking bets on yellow cards due to fears of foul play.

Another possible option is to apply the FA’s restrictions only to lower-league games and early rounds of the FA Cup, which are more vulnerable to shady betting practices.

The FA has not made any official statement on this issue yet.