British soccer association cuts ties with gambling partners

The governing body for British soccer severed ties with its gambling partners Thursday after a three-month internal investigation, a move that comes as U.S. politicians and lobbying groups seek to allow sports betting nationwide in much the same way as in the U.K.

The Football Association had been criticized for partnering with bookmaker Ladbrokes, especially after midfielder Joey Barton was suspended in April for 18 months after he admitted to violating FA’s gambling rules.

“We would like to thank Ladbrokes for both being a valued partner over the last year and for their professionalism and understanding about our change of policy around gambling,” Martin Glenn, chief executive of the FA, said in a statement.

The Football Association received about $5 million per year under its deal with Ladbrokes, according to the BBC.

Many sports leagues and teams in the U.S. have deals with daily fantasy sports companies, but there is an effort underway to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) that has restricted sports gambling to one state (Nevada).

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) introduced a draft bill in Congress last month with the goal to allow the states to decide whether to allow sports betting. The American Sports Betting Coalition (ASBC), a group backed by the American Gaming Association, was launched this month with an aim to do away with PASPA.