A UK-based darts player known as ‘The Apache’ has been banned from competitive play until the next decade after being found guilty of match-fixing and betting on matches.
An investigation that involved Great Britain’s Gambling Commision also ordered Prakash Jiwa to pay nearfly £18,000 in costs after incidents raised suspicion in the 2023 Modus Super Series.
John Pierce, the Gambling Commission’s director of enforcement, said: “All betting customers in Britain should have confidence that bets placed with licensed gambling businesses are on markets that are fair and free from betting-related corruption.
“Our Sports Betting Intelligence Unit works closely with partners such as the Darts Regulation Authority to support sporting integrity investigations and combat match-fixing.
“This decision sends a clear message that betting-related corruption in sport will not be tolerated.”
Jiwa’s ban will run until 6th November 2031 and takes into consideration the two years the investigation has taken to conclude. No other players involved in the suspicious matches were found to have been involved in Jiwa’s actions.
Jiwa, 54 from Rugby, Warwickshire, a previous winner of a PDC Tour card on three occasions, was first suspended in 2023 when irregular betting patterns first came to light.
The eight-year ban follows a similar length ban for Leighton Bennett, who was found guilty of ten breaches of match-fixing in December 2024, and also Billy Warriner, who received a longer 10-year suspension for providing information on the same matches, as well as two counts of acting as an unregistered betting agent, plus a little bit extra for threatening a match official.
Both players also received fines of £8100.
Featured Image courtesy of Oliver Buchmann (Unsplash)
