Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen is working as a specialist consultant with England’s white-ball cricket team while also serving as an ambassador for online gambling company Dafabet. The combination of his two roles has raised questions around the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

The 46-year-old Pietersen signed a deal with the Philippines-based online gambling company this week. Dafabet announced him as one of its ambassadors on Monday.

The ECB has strict anti-corruption regulations concerning gambling and betting activities involving people connected with cricket. Its rules prohibit individuals from directly or indirectly encouraging, assisting or facilitating betting on the result, progress or conduct of a match or competition.

Pietersen has reportedly assured the ECB that he will not participate in any Dafabet promotional activity while carrying out his duties with the England team. The arrangement is therefore intended to keep his commercial role separate from his responsibilities with the national side.

Pietersen is nevertheless expected to have a significant workload with England over the next year. Under his agreement, he is scheduled to work with head coach Brendon McCullum’s team for around 150 days over the next 13 months, with his role continuing through the ODI World Cup jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

He will not travel with England for next week’s ODI tri-series in Pakistan, which also features Sri Lanka. However, he is expected to work with the team during the winter tours of Australia and South Africa and during England’s white-ball matches at home before the World Cup.

McCullum Faced a Similar Controversy

This is not the first time the ECB has faced questions over a senior England figure’s links with a gambling company.

Three years ago, then England Test coach Brendon McCullum became an ambassador for Cyprus-based betting company 22Bet. He subsequently appeared in promotional material on Facebook and YouTube encouraging betting on IPL matches.

Following an investigation, the ECB concluded that McCullum had not breached its anti-corruption regulations. However, the former New Zealand captain eventually ended his relationship with 22Bet amid the controversy.

There was a distinction between McCullum’s deal and Pietersen’s current arrangement. 22Bet operated under a licence from Curaçao, while Dafabet holds a licence to operate in the United Kingdom.

Strict Rules on Betting in Cricket

English county teams also face specific conditions when they receive commercial income from gambling companies. Counties must be able to demonstrate that such revenue is reinvested in areas such as infrastructure or community programmes.

Betting on cricket is prohibited for people involved in the sport, and previous disciplinary cases demonstrate that breaches can lead to sanctions.

England fast bowler Brydon Carse was punished after placing 303 bets between 2017 and 2019. He received a 16-month ban, although 13 months of the suspension was suspended.

There is currently no indication in the supplied report that Pietersen has been found to have breached the ECB’s anti-corruption regulations. However, his simultaneous roles as an England consultant and gambling-company ambassador are likely to keep the issue under scrutiny.