Cricketer Punished For $9 In Bets On The SportAustralian Angela Reakes Given Suspended Two-Year Ban |
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Only $9 in bets on a men’s cricket match has landed Australian female cricketer Angela Reakes in hot water with the sport’s officials.
According to the Associated Press, Reakes this week received a suspended two-year ban for betting on the men’s Cricket World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand in March.
The suspended ban means that she’ll be closely monitored and have to take a long break from the sport if she violates Australia’s anti-corruption code again. Reakes plays for the Sydney Sixers in the Women’s Big Bash League.
“All elite cricketers are reminded regularly that betting on any form of cricket is strictly prohibited,” Iain Roy, head of Cricket Australia’s integrity unit, said in a statement.
“Angela understands that in placing these bets she made a bad mistake and has acknowledged the seriousness of her error. She has been cooperative during the investigation and we believe the penalty in these circumstances is appropriate.”
She was also ordered to help educate other athletes in her sport about illegal betting.
Australia’s gambling industry is at record levels, with people in the country having spent A$24.1 billion on gambling over the past 12 months. An average of A$1,000 is lost by every person in the country each year, making Australians the biggest spenders on gambling in the world.