Nottingham Forest full-back Harry Toffolo has been charged by the FA for allegedly violating betting rules 375 times within three years.
The 27-year-old is accused of violating FA rules, which prohibit players from placing bets or sharing information that could be used for betting.
The Football Association (FA) announced on Wednesday, July 12 that Harry Toffolo has been charged with misconduct for violating their betting regulations.
According to the FA’s statement, they alleged that Toffolo’s breach of betting rules occurred from 22 January 2014, during his time at Norwich, until 18 March 2017.
At the time, he was signed by Norwich City and went on loan to play for Swindon, Rotherham, Peterborough, and Scunthorpe.
A statement from the FA reads: “Nottingham Forest’s Harry Toffolo has been charged with misconduct about our betting rules.”
“It’s alleged that the defender breached FA Rule E1 (b) 375 times between 22 January 2014 and 18 March 2017.”
“Harry Toffolo has until Wednesday 19 July 2023 to provide his response.”
This happened after Brentford and England striker Ivan Toney received an eight-month ban for admitting to 232 breaches of the FA’s betting rules.
Toney, who is 27 years old, was charged in November 2022. As a result, he did not secure a spot in Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup.
However, Toney’s ban has been reduced from 11 months to eight due to a diagnosed gambling addiction. As a result, he will not be eligible to play again until January 17, 2024.
Who is Harry Toffolo?
Harry Stefano Toffolo, born on August 19, 1995, is a talented English footballer.
He currently serves as a left-back for the esteemed Premier League team, Nottingham Forest.
Toffolo’s professional career
In 2008, he became a member of Norwich City as an under-14 player.
Although Toffolo emerged from the Canaries’ academy, he did not have the opportunity to play for the team and instead spent the initial years of his career on loan.
In the 2014-15 season, he was loaned to Swindon before subsequently playing for both Rotherham and Peterborough in the following season.
Afterward, he had a loan spell at Scunthorpe United during the 2016-17 season, which coincided with the alleged betting offenses coming to an end.
Toffolo joined Lincoln City in 2018, a team playing in League Two. He later moved to Huddersfield in the Championship, where he consistently featured in matches.
He played for the Terriers for three seasons, making a total of 96 appearances and scoring nine goals throughout his time with the team.
Toffolo made the move to Premier League team Forest last summer in a deal worth approximately £10 million following a successful two-and-a-half-year stint with Huddersfield in West Yorkshire.
Last season, he played in 21 senior matches for the newly-promoted club, with nine of those matches being league starts.
What’s likely to happen to Harry Toffolo?
Ivan Toney had been set for a 15-month suspension before it was reduced after he pleaded guilty to the charges and was diagnosed of a gambling addict.
While Port Vale’s Mitch Clark was banned for just three months and fined £600 after conceding to placing 312 bets in 13 months up to March when he was on the books of Accrington.
Toffolo, though, as a Premier League player, could face a bigger penalty, even if the alleged offenses took place when he was playing in the lower reaches of the EFL and were between six and nine years ago.
In addition, he is likely to be sidelined when Nottingham Forest kicks off their new campaign against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on August 12th at 12:30 BST.
