Kevin Pietersen tells ECB he will not promote Dafabet while on England duty
Kevin Pietersen told the England and Wales Cricket Board on Tuesday, 14 October 2026, that he will not promote Philippines-based Dafabet while serving as England’s white-ball batting coach after signing as a brand ambassador earlier in the week. The former England batter’s new commercial link with an online gambling firm has prompted the discussion with his employers.
Pietersen is contracted to work as a mentor for Brendon McCullum’s white-ball team for around 150 days over the next 13 months until the conclusion of the 50-over World Cup co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. That span of duties means any commercial activity tied to a betting company could intersect frequently with his England commitments.
The ECB’s anti-corruption code expressly bans participants from “directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging, facilitating or authorising any other party to enter into a bet in relation to the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any match or competition.”
The board does not accept advertising revenue from gambling companies, has banned Hundred franchises from sponsorship deals with betting firms from next year, and requires counties that take commercial gambling income to demonstrate that the proceeds are reinvested into infrastructure projects or community programmes.
All participants in cricket are prohibited from betting; the ECB’s enforcement of that rule included a 16-month suspension handed to England fast bowler Brydon Carse two years ago, 13 months of which was suspended, after he placed 303 bets between 2017 and 2019.
Pietersen announced he is joining Dafabet on Tuesday and said he would offer “exciting collaborations and exclusive behind-the-scenes moments” on his social media platforms. He has reassured the ECB that he will not promote Dafabet while on England duty, a restriction described in the reporting as likely to be limiting given the scale of his national-team commitments over the next year.
The ECB previously examined betting-related activity involving Brendon McCullum after the then-Test coach became an ambassador for Cyprus-based 22bet three years ago and promoted its Indian Premier League betting markets on Facebook and YouTube; after inquiries the ECB concluded McCullum was not in breach of its anti-corruption code, although he chose to end the relationship. Unlike 22bet, which is licensed offshore in Curacao, Dafabet has a licence to operate in the UK.
Pietersen will not travel to Pakistan for a 50-over tri-series also featuring Sri Lanka that starts next week, but he is scheduled to play a full part in winter tours of Australia and South Africa and to be involved in all England’s domestic white-ball matches next summer ahead of the 50-over World Cup.