Kevin Pietersen tells ECB he will not promote betting firm on England duty
Kevin Pietersen has promised England bosses he will keep his new betting job separate from his coaching job.
The former England batter has told the England and Wales Cricket Board he will not promote gambling while on duty as England's white-ball batting coach, after signing as a global brand ambassador for online firm Dafabet The Guardian. White-ball cricket means the short formats, one-day internationals and T20s, played with a white ball.
Pietersen announced the Dafabet deal on 12 October. In a video message he said he was joining the Dafabet family and promised exciting collaborations and exclusive behind-the-scenes moments on social media. Dafabet is based in the Philippines and holds a licence to operate in the UK.
The coaching role is substantial. Pietersen is contracted as a mentor to Brendon McCullum's England limited-overs side for around 150 days over the next 13 months, through to the end of the 50-over World Cup. That tournament, where each team bats for a maximum of 50 overs, will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
He will not travel to Pakistan for a 50-over tri-series, a three-team tournament also involving Sri Lanka, starting next week. The plan is for him to play a full part in winter tours of Australia and South Africa and in all of England's home white-ball matches next summer leading into the World Cup.
The ECB holds a strict public line on gambling. It takes no advertising revenue from betting companies. It has banned teams in The Hundred, its 100-ball franchise competition, from signing sponsorship deals with betting firms from next year. Counties that do accept gambling income must show the money is put back into grounds or community programmes.
There is recent history here. McCullum, now England's white-ball head coach, joined Cyprus-based company 22bet as an ambassador three years ago and promoted its Indian Premier League betting markets on Facebook and YouTube. The ECB later concluded he had not breached its anti-corruption code, although McCullum chose to end that relationship. One key difference has been noted: Dafabet is licensed in Britain, while 22bet was licensed offshore in Curacao.
The wider rules are tight. England fast bowler Brydon Carse received a 16-month ban, with 13 months suspended, for placing 303 bets on cricket between 2017 and 2019.
For fans, this means two jobs running side by side. Pietersen the coach in an England tracksuit, and Pietersen the ambassador away from the team environment. The ECB appears satisfied with that split for now.
