England Test head coach Brendon McCullum‘s involvement with betting website 22Bet India has brought the New Zealander under the observation of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and its anti-corruption rules.
22Bet India is a betting site that is registered in Cyprus.
Brendon McCullum was announced as their partner in November 2022. six months after he was appointed England men’s Test coach.
Advertisements of Brendon McCullum endorsing this betting website have now come under more scrutiny recently, especially from his home country New Zealand.
The ECB has released a statement regarding Brendon McCullum’s relationship with Bet22 India that says: “We are currently exploring the matter, and [are] in discussions with Brendon around his relationship with the Cypriot-based betting company, 22Bet. We have rules in place around gambling, and will always seek to ensure these are followed.”
The ECB’s anti-corruption code clearly states that participants” are prohibited from “directly or indirectly enticing, persuading, encouraging or facilitating any other party to enter into a bet in relation to the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any match or competition”.
In his YouTube adverts, McCullum explicitly endorses the betting site.
In a video posted on Facebook, he says: “The IPL is coming, and I think all cricket fans are excited for this big event. My friends at 22Bet are ready to make your IPL experience even more fascinating. 22Bet India guarantees the best odds.”
Earlier this month, the department of Problem Gambling Foundation in New Zealand filed an official complaint to the New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). In response, the DIA said that the betting site is “not a registered New Zealand sports bookmaker, nor are they licensed or regulated in New Zealand by the DIA”.
Consequently, advertisements featuring Brendon McCullum have been geoblocked in New Zealand. The Problem Gambling Foundation also contacted the ECB.
Simon Auteri, McCullum’s agent, told the Times newspaper in a statement: “We are speaking to the ECB about this. I am not going to comment on anything. We are working through it.”
Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes set their eyes on the Ashes
Relating cricket, the duo of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes and their Bazball cricket approach have taken Test cricket with a storm, – England have won 10 of their 12 Tests under Stokes and McCullum.
Now their eyes are on the Ashes, which England haven’t held since 2015. They lost the last away Ashes 4-0 in Australia and drew the 2019 home Ashes 2-2 and Australia retained the Ashes trophy.