Teenager Leighton Bennett has been banned for eight years for charges including match-fixing, the darts regulator has announced.
Bennett, 18, and Billy Warriner – for 10 years – have both been banned following an investigation by the DRA.
The International Betting Integrity Association reported suspicious betting on four matches involving Bennett in the 2023 Modus Super Series.
Bennett is a former BDO Youth Champion and became the youngest ever winner of the tournament aged 13 in 2019
The DRA ruled that “both players had a case to account for serious breaches” of its rules and, after being suspended in August, Bennett and Warriner were found guilty at a hearing in November.
Bennett became the youngest BDO youth champion when he was just 13 years old in 2019. He also beat 14-time world champion Phil Taylor in the same year.
The teenager earned a card on the professional PDC Tour earlier this year and had vowed to challenge World Championship runner-up Luke Littler, who won the Premier League and Grand Slam of Darts titles this season at the age of 17.
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“Bennett was found guilty of 10 counts of fixing the four matches, providing confidential match information, failing to assist an investigation and signing a contract with an unregistered agent,” a DRA statement said.
“Warriner admitted 19 out of 21 charges of being concerned in fixing the four matches, providing insider information and arranging betting on the matches, four counts of failing to assist the investigation, two counts of acting as an unregistered agent and betting on darts .
“In addition, he pleaded guilty to an unrelated incident at a darts event where he abused an official and threatened his opponent.”
Bennett and Warriner, who have also been ordered to pay £8,100 in costs each, have until December 14 to appeal.
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