'Entirely false': Hearts shareholder Tony Bloom issues statement over Brighton betting claims

Hearts shareholder Tony Bloom has assured Brighton and Hove Albion fans that he has not placed bets on matches involving the English Premier League side, labelling such allegations “inaccurate and misleading”.

Bloom owns Brighton and has also made significant investments in Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise and Scottish Premiership side Hearts. The 55-year-old paid £9.86 million for a 29 per cent stakeholding in the Tynecastle club last summer, also giving them access to his Jamestown Analytics player database.

Regarded as one of the shrewdest and most successful operators in the gambling industry, a story in The Guardian on Friday reported that Bloom “is facing questions over claims he was an anonymous gambler behind $70m (£52m) in winnings – which allegedly included bets on his football teams”. The allegations have been made in a US court case that is attempting to reveal those in a syndicate who have benefitted from a substantial winning streak.

Tony Bloom has owned Brighton since 2009. | Getty Images

Bloom is not allowed to bet on matches involving Brighton, as it is against English Football Association rules - although he is permitted to wager on football “under strict conditions”. And on Friday night, Bloom moved to address the allegations, stating that he has always complied with the regulations and that he is in dialogue with the FA and the EPL over the matter.

The statement on the Brighton website on behalf of Bloom read: “Following an inaccurate and misleading report in The Guardian earlier this evening, I can categorically assure our supporters that I have not placed bets on any Brighton & Hove Albion matches since becoming the owner of the club in 2009.

“In 2014, in addition to new rules on betting, The FA introduced a policy with quite onerous provisions for owners of football clubs with interests in betting. These provisions allow certain football club owners, including me, to continue to bet on football under strict conditions.

‘I have always fully complied with these conditions’

“In particular, the policy prevents me from betting on any match or competition that Brighton & Hove Albion is involved in. Since 2014, I have always fully complied with these conditions, and all of my bets on football are audited by one of the world’s leading accounting firms on an annual basis to ensure full compliance with The FA’s policy.

“Lawyers acting on my behalf have this evening directly contacted The Guardian to make my position on this entirely false allegation very clear. Separately, our club is in direct contact with both The Football Association and The Premier League regarding this matter.”

Bloom - nicknamed ‘The Lizard’ for his success as a poker player - has owned Brighton since 2009 and has played a major part in their ascent back up the English football leagues. He completed a takeover of Union Saint-Gilloise in 2018, with the Brussels-based side winning the Belgian championship last season.

His 29 per cent shareholding in Hearts was voted through by supporters last summer, with Bloom stating his ambition that he would like to break Celtic and Rangers’ stranglehold on Scottish football by becoming champions within the next decade.

Bloom also has a 19.1 per cent interest in Australian A-League side Melbourne Victory.