Bingham: Snooker players need protection from betting companies

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The 2015 world snooker champion Stuart Bingham apologized for breaching betting rules on Monday but added that players were over-exposed to betting companies.

The 41-year-old Englishman -- who received a six-month ban last week with three of those suspended -- said players, especially young ones, needed protecting from bookies. "I have been exposed to all forms of gambling since I was a teenager," he said in a statement.

"Most tournaments are sponsored by betting companies. If I was not having wagers with opponents on matches then there were gaming machines in all the clubs," added Bingham, who was also fined 20,000 pounds for placing bets totaling 36,000 pounds.

Stuart Bingham / eurosport photo

Bingham, who will be banned for three of the most lucrative tournaments including the Masters, said he was "truly sorry" and "did not attach sufficient importance to the rules."

However, Bingham -- who along with Irish cues man Ken Doherty are the only players to have been crowned world champion at both amateur and professional level -- denied one of the findings that he had placed bets on matches he played in.

"In the absence of any direct evidence, the committee arbitrarily concluded that I was responsible for 50% of the betting on that account (including the bets on my matches)," said Bingham.

"I categorically deny that this was the case. I have never bet on a match in which I was playing."

(Top image credit: Yahoo)

Source(s): AFP