'I've quit gambling': Brentford's Ivan Toney opens up on his addiction, 8-month ban from football - WATCH
Brentford striker Ivan Toney discusses his gambling addiction and the consequences of his eight-month football suspension in a revealing interview with the "Diary of a CEO" YouTube channel.
FollowIvan Toney, the Brentford striker, has openly discussed his struggles with gambling addiction in the wake of his eight-month suspension from football. His ban, lasting until January 16, 2024, resulted from admitting to 232 violations of the Football Association's betting regulations. In an extensive interview with the "Diary of a CEO" YouTube channel, Toney revealed that he has ceased gambling and admitted to initially misleading investigators. He recounted how the scandal affected him, causing rejections by car insurers and restaurants due to negative publicity. These incidents left him puzzled, as he questioned the impact of mere allegations on his everyday life.
"I remember at the time when there was allegations, I wanted to go to a restaurant and they were like "no you can't - we're not taking you. I was like "what do you mean?" And then it was "the allegations, we're not allowing you in or something like this. I was actually so confused. I was thinking "for starters, it's allegations and second of all you are a restaurant how can you not let someone in because of bad press?" the 27-year-old said.
"I was just baffled, and my car insurance, they wouldn't insure me due to the whole scandal. And I was like "car insurance? They won't have me on their books?" it was baffling," Toney added.
Toney acknowledged that his gambling tendencies began at the age of 15, leading to higher stakes as his income increased. Although he acknowledged responsibility for some of the 232 bets he placed, he also expressed uncertainty about certain wagers he did not recall making. Toney's perspective on spending shifted with each payday, emphasizing his ability to allocate funds as he saw fit.
"The impact it (betting) would have is waiting for payday. I'd pay for everything I need to sort and then I would be like "I've got this much to play with". I took care of what needed to be taken care of then in my head it's like "my money is my money and I can spend it how I want"," he said.
Ivan Toney admitted to a grey area concerning permissible betting subjects and admitted that his initial claims of not betting on football were inaccurate. He confessed that he initially denied involvement, hoping to avoid repercussions but eventually admitted his actions.
"That was when they threw everything at me. I thought "I would deny it and then it's all fine and they wouldn't find anything". Then everything went through and I admitted to what I have done," he added.
When his suspension was issued, the FA's document said that Toney's guilty plea would have resulted in a 15-month suspension. An impartial commission determined that the time should be significantly cut to reflect the gambling addiction that psychiatrist Dr. Philip Hopley had previously recognized.
"The lack of control the player has in respect of gambling is clearly a reflection of his diagnosed gambling addiction. The position appears to be that Mr Toney has ceased gambling on football although he still gambles on other sports and casino games," read the document released in May.
The report also indicated that although Toney ceased football gambling, he continued betting on other sports and casino games. It highlighted his commitment to address the issue through therapy after the current season's conclusion.
Toney affirmed that he has quit gambling and attributed it to public scrutiny. "No (he doesn't gamble anymore). I think it's kind of been in the public eye if I was going to these places. It's more the embarrassment of "is he still continuing?". So I wouldn't allow myself. You look back and take a backseat, have a look at the money you lost and what it could have. People to provide for. It could go to here or just managing money better. How I look at things. I can see it as me being naïve," he said.
"Personally, I felt like it was a bit of a questionable time when they decided to bring it all out and then when they actually dealt with the situation come the end of the season, it’s kind of like why bring it out then?
Reflecting on missed opportunities, he considered the timing of the news questionable and expressed disappointment about not participating in the World Cup.
"Personally, I felt like it was a bit of a questionable time when they decided to bring it all out and then when they actually dealt with the situation come the end of the season, it’s kind of like why bring it out then? I feel like, yes I’m banned now, but the biggest punishment for me was missing out on playing at the World Cup. I felt like somebody's out to get me at that time, to stop me from playing for England," he said.
Despite his regrets, Toney embraced personal responsibility for his actions and the subsequent consequences. He remained resilient against criticism, believing that he would return stronger and more determined, dispelling doubts about his ability to reclaim his former success.
He said, "Looking back on what I've done, would I change some bits probably, but it is what it is. I’ll take full responsibility for the punishment I'm getting now. I know for a fact I'll come back stronger than this, I'm better than I was before. If I wasn't as strong as I was in my head that would break some people; I'd be at a petrol station they’d scream certain things and I’d be with my family and my children and people just be like shouting dumb things out."
"There’s a lot of haters and doubters out there thinking, he ain’t going to be the same man when he’s back, actually they're right I'm gonna be a different man, I’m going to be even better than that guy who scored them goals before. I’m built different, my mentality’s different," Toney concluded.
