Leighton Bennett has been banned from dart by The Darts Regulation Authority for eight years for charges including match fixing while Littler remains under investigation.
The Darts Regulation Authority has banned Leighton Bennett for eight years and Billy Warriner for 10 years for charges which included match-fixing.
The punishment follows the DRA conducting an investigation after the International Betting Integrity Association reported suspicious betting on four matches involving Bennett in the Modus Super Series in 2023.
The DRA decided “both players had a case to answer for serious breaches” of its rules and, having been suspended in August, Bennett and Warriner were found guilty at a hearing in November.
“Bennett was found guilty of 10 charges for fixing the four matches, provided inside information on the matches, of failing to assist an investigation and for signing a contract with an unregistered agent,” said a DRA statement.
Warriner admitted 19 of 21 charges for being concerned in fixing the four matches, providing inside information and organising 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 was abusive to an official and threatened his opponent.”
Bennett and Warriner, who have also been ordered to pay £8,100 each in costs, have until 14 December to appeal.
Bennett became the youngest ever BDO youth champion when he won the competition at the age of 13 in 2019. He beat darts legend Phil Taylor the same year.
He won a card on the professional PDC Tour earlier this year and vowed to rival World Championship runner-up Luke Littler.
After emerging from obscurity aged 16 to reach the World Championship final, the life of Luke Littler and the sport he loves has been transformed. Viewing figures, ticket sales and social media interest have rocketed. Darts has hit the bullseye.
This Christmas more than 100,000 children are expected to be opening Littler-branded magnetic dartboards as presents.
His impact has helped double the number of junior academies, prompted plans to expand the World Championship and generated interest in darts from Saudi Arabian backers.
With his nickname ‘The Nuke’ on his purple and yellow shirt and the Alexandra Palace crowd belting out his walk-on song, Pitbull’s tune Greenlight, he became an instant hit. Electric on the stage, calm off it. The down-to-earth teenager celebrated with a kebab and computer games.
“We’ve been watching his progress since he was about seven. He was on our radar, but we never anticipated what would happen. The next thing we know ‘Littlermania’ is spreading everywhere,” PDC president Barry Hearn told BBC Sport.
A peak TV audience of 3.7 million people watched the final – easily Sky’s biggest figure for a non-football sporting event.
