Brighton’s owner Tony Bloom is linked to claims involving a multimillion-dollar profit-share dispute tied to a betting syndicate.
Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom has been named in a high court claim over alleged unpaid profits from his private gambling operations.
As reported by The Guardian, The filing brought by former associate Ryan Dudfield states he is owed around $17.5m under a profit-share agreement.
According to the claim seen by the publication, Dudfield’s role involved introducing Bloom’s Starlizard gambling syndicate to George Cottrell, who allowed the group to use his betting accounts for wagers on football and other sports.
Dudfield was then entitled to a share of the winnings generated through those accounts, alongside Cottrell.
Dudfield alleges he was informed the syndicate had stopped using Cottrell’s accounts, but later discovered betting activity had continued. He claims this undisclosed activity left him owed profits under their agreement. The filing also states Cottrell and Bloom associate Ian McAleavy kept the arrangement running during this period.
Starlizard Consulting, originally owned by Blue Lizard Consulting, where Bloom is the majority shareholder, provides services intended to “facilitate the operation of Mr Bloom’s private betting syndicate,” according to the documents. The total value of the syndicate’s winnings is not publicly known.
Under the Football Association’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test, integrity requirements extend beyond basic legal compliance, meaning involvement in betting activity can trigger disqualification from club ownership.
An FA spokesperson told Insider Sport: “As further background guidance, we have had a policy in place since 2014 which only applies to a very small number of Participants in the English game who hold a shareholding (or equivalent) interest above a certain level in a club and who also have a financial interest (also above a certain level) in a betting company.
“The purpose of the policy is to allow the relevant betting company to carry out its ordinary business activities without placing the Participant in breach of our betting rules. The policy does not permit Participants to place bets on matches or competitions involving their own clubs. The relevant stakeholders in the game, including the leagues, are aware of the policy.”
Separately, the UK Gambling Commission enforces strict licensing rules under the Gambling Act 2005 to prevent conflicts of interest and maintain market integrity. These frameworks mean any club owner linked to a betting syndicate could face regulatory scrutiny or sanctions.
How the alleged betting operation functioned
According to the legal filings, Bloom’s syndicate also used accounts belonging to other “footballers, sportsmen and businessmen” in a similar capacity to Cottrell. This was allegedly done to get around restrictions betting operators often impose on accounts associated with high-stakes or high-volume activity.
These accounts were described in the claim as “secret exotic accounts” and said to be operated in a highly confidential manner from satellite offices in Canary Wharf, London.
Cottrell, and other frontmen, were reportedly entitled to a share of profits while being shielded from losses in return for providing access to their accounts. Cottrell is said to have received around 33% of any winnings.
Bets were placed through Stake.com, an offshore casino which allows users to transact in cryptocurrency.
Stake, currently Everton FC’s front-of-shirt sponsor, was ordered to leave the UK in February 2025 after TGP Europe, the white-label provider operating Stake’s UK presence, shut down.
Insider Sport has approached Brighton & Hove Albion FC for comment.
