Brighton owner Tony Bloom says reports claiming he placed bets on his own team are “completely untrue.”
A Guardian report this week suggested Bloom, a billionaire and professional gambler, may be the mystery bettor who won $70m (£52m) and allegedly placed bets on Brighton games. The article linked him to a US legal case trying to reveal the identity of an anonymous gambler known as “John Doe.”
Under FA rules, club owners are banned from betting on matches involving their own team. However, Bloom is one of a few owners covered by a 2014 rule that allows him to continue gambling on football, as long as he does not bet on Brighton games.
In a statement issued through the club, Bloom said: “I have not placed bets on any Brighton matches since becoming owner in 2009. I fully follow the rules, and all of my football bets are checked every year by a major accounting firm.”
Bloom, who also owns 29% of Hearts in Scotland, said his lawyers have contacted the Guardian about what he called “entirely false” claims.
He added that Brighton are in touch with both the FA and the Premier League about the situation.
Bloom has been involved in the gambling world for decades. He founded the betting website Premierbet in 2002 before selling it in 2005, and he runs a private betting group through his company, Starlizard.
