North American sports like the MLB and NBA are not the only professional leagues that have seen betting scandals by their players. The English Football Association (FA) charged West Ham’s Luca Paquetá with breaches of betting rules. West Ham plays in the English Premier League and Paquetá’s actions may have impacted the betting market. The FA is accusing Paquetá of attempting to influence the outcome of a match by receiving a card from a referee. 

In this betting scandal, Paquetá’s alleged violations included three matches from the 2022-23 season and one from 2023-24. The matches in question by the FA are against Leicester City on November 12, 2022, vs. Aston Villa on March 12, 2023, Leeds United on May 21, 2023, and AFC Bournemouth on August 12, 2023. The FA has not provided any further details about Paquetá’s case. Their betting policy states that a player could be banned for life depending on the extent of their scandal.

Lucas Paquetá denies any involvement in the charges brought forth by the FA

On Instagram, Lucas Paquetá made these public comments about his charges in an alleged betting scandal.

“I am extremely surprised and upset that the FA has decided to charge me. I have cooperated with every step of their investigation and provided all the information I can. I deny the charges in their entirety and will fight with every breath to clear my name. I will not be providing any further comment.”

Mr. Paquetá has been given until June 3 to formally respond to the FA’s charges. According to ESPN reports, the FA has been investing Lucas Paquetá since August 2023. Since then, he’s continued to play for West Ham and was even named to Brazil’s Copa América squad in June. In 2022, West Ham paid a $64 million transfer fee to acquire Paquetá from Lyon. Additionally, they gave him a five-year, $39 million deal. West Ham finished ninth in the Premier League in 2024. Paquetá had four goals and six assists. 

In a public comment, West Ham said they will continue to support Paquetá throughout this process. Since 2015, the Betway logo has appeared on the front of West Ham’s kits. A ban on these logo sponsorships could take effect in 2026. The UK is trying to reduce the amount of gambling ads that are shown. Lucas Paquetá could be the next player to get a suspension in English Football, joining Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali.