The Darts Regulation Authority has banned Leighton Bennett for eight years and Billy Warriner for ten years for, among other things, match fixing.
The punishment follows the DRA conducting an investigation after the International Betting Integrity Association reported suspicious betting on four matches involving Bennett in the 2023 Modus Super Series.
The DRA decided that “both players had a case for serious breaches” of the rules, and after being suspended in August, Bennett and Warriner were found guilty at a hearing in November.
“Bennett was found guilty of ten counts of fixing the four matches, providing inside information about the matches, failing to assist an investigation and signing a contract with an unregistered agent,” a DRA statement said .
Warriner admitted 19 of 21 charges of being involved in arranging the four matches, providing inside information and organizing betting on the matches, four charges of failing to assist the investigation, two charges of acting as an unregistered agent and betting on darts.
“In addition, he pleaded guilty to an unrelated incident during a darts event in which he insulted an official and threatened his opponent.”
Bennett and Warriner, who must also pay £8,100 in costs each, have until December 14 to appeal.
Bennett became the youngest ever BDO youth champion when he won the competition in 2019 at the age of 13. That same year he defeated darts legend Phil Taylor.
He won a card on the professional PDC Tour earlier this year and promised to emulate World Championship runner-up Luke Littler.
