Brighton owner Tony Bloom ‘is very clever and I have great respect for him but he could be in trouble’
Brighton owner Tony Bloom could face a tricky situation amid a claim that has been made against him.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider who has given his verdict on the latest situation concerning Bloom.
Bloom has been accused of operating a secret £600million gambling syndicate to bet on football matches.
The 55-year-old, who denies the allegations, has owned Brighton since 2009, and in 2025 invested over £9m and received a 29% stake in Scottish Premiership club Hearts.
Keith Wyness offers Tony Bloom verdict
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes Bloom would have been “aware of the rules.”
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness though thinks Bloom could be encountering a “problem.”
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Yeah, look, this is an absolutely fascinating story and of course with all the legal proceedings going on we’ve got to be very careful what is said.
“I know that Tony Bloom’s released a statement saying that The Guardian story was completely wrong and he’s never bet on Brighton games, etc. And what it does appear to have been is that the syndicate which he is allegedly the beneficial owner of has been betting on football games, although he has said, being very careful not to bet on Brighton games. If that’s the case and they can show that, then he has not broken any FA rules.
“And if he’s not betting on the Premier League as well, that’s fine. But the problem would be, I think for him, is if the syndicate had been making bets probably without any of his knowledge or approval. If they could prove just one of those things happened, then it may not be his fault, but that would be where the situation would be a problem for him.
“I think Tony Bloom is very clever and I’ve got the highest respect for him and I don’t think he would have been caught in anything like this, and I think he’s aware of the rules and I think he’ll have gone to great pains to make sure this works.”
Hearts benefiting from Bloom ownership
Bloom has been praised for his investment in Hearts, with the Edinburgh club currently three points above Celtic at the top of the table.
Hearts have beaten Celtic twice this season, as the Jambos look to become the first side outside the Old Firm to win the Scottish league since Aberdeen in 1985.
Bloom’s successful ownership of Brighton saw them ready for the introduction of the Independent Regulator based on factors like financial sustainability and governance.
During his time at Brighton, the Seagulls have risen from League One to the Premier League, becoming one of the best run clubs in the country.