Former youth prodigy Leighton Bennett suspended for eight years for match-fixing

The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) has handed out hefty penalties to Billy Warriner and PDC Tour Card holder Leighton Bennett for match-fixing. Both players had already been provisionally suspended during the investigation.

On Nov. 18, both players were found guilty of violating DRA rules at a hearing. Bennett was found guilty of 10 counts of rigging the four games, providing inside information about the games, failing to assist in an investigation and signing a contract with an unregistered manager.

Warriner admitted 19 of the 21 charges for involvement in rigging the four matches, providing insider information and organizing bets on the matches, four counts of failing to assist in the investigation, two counts of acting as an unregistered intermediary and betting on darts. In addition, he was also found guilty of insulting an official and threatening an opponent during another event.

Bennett is suspended from playing in or in any way being involved in regulated DRA events for a total period of eight years and ordered to pay £8,100.23 in costs. His suspension ends on August 11, 2032 at 11:59 p.m.

Warriner received an even longer sentence. He is barred from participating in the sport of darts for 10 years and, like Bennett, must pay £8,100.23 in costs. Warriner's sentence comes to an end at 11:59 p.m. on June 27, 2034.

Bennett and Warriner have until Dec. 14, 2024, to appeal the disciplinary committee's decisions. The DRA made it clear in its hearing that no other players were involved in the games that were fixed.

As a result of this penalty claim, former BDO World Youth Champion Bennett's Tour Card will be revoked. That means an additional Tour Card will be up for grabs at the Q-School in January.