Brentford's striker Ivan Toney has been banned for eight months for betting breaches, opening up the public dialogue about betting in general.
Outspoken on many issues nowadays, former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has recalled his experience with a gambling addiction.
Agbonlahor said: “Players used to bet on football, I used to bet on games - never any that involved my team. Sometimes it wouldn't even be my league. It could be the Spanish or Italian league. Say you'd bet on Juventus and Real Madrid in a double.
"It was a boredom thing. You finish training at 12pm, kids are at school. Everyone normally works nine to five or long hours. It’s something to keep you entertained. You’re looking at the scores throughout the day across the app.
"For players who really have that urge to gamble now they will just use their friends. There’s ways around it. [Toney’s ban] Is not really going to stop it. This life is about not getting caught."
He detailed some of his most extreme experiences: "I would come home around age 21, and I’d go on my laptop and play poker in bed, chilling. I’d blow £10,000-20,000, and then I’d smash my Apple laptop - I was that addicted, I’d go and buy a new one the next day.
"A laptop isn’t going to stop you if you have an addiction. I was definitely addicted, but what changed for me was having a child. I had my son when I was 22 and I thought to myself, what am I doing?"
