Bulgarian sports betting controversy: VAR worker browses betting platform during football game
Sneaky VAR Scandal in Bulgaria: VAR Assistant Caught Betting During Live BroadcastA Shady Incident in the Top Tier of Bulgarian FootballBy][@][Matthias Friess][, Edited by][Angela Burke][, Published on: 07.04.2025, Updated on: 17.04.2025.
Caught Red-Handed: Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Betting on a Sports Betting App
During the hard-fought match between CSKA Sofia and Lokomotiv Sofia on April 2, 2025 at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia, a jaw-dropping scandal involving the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) crew unfolded.
As is standard pre-match protocol, the live camera of TV channel Diema Sport broadcast a view into the VAR booth, where the video assistants monitor the game. To the shock and dismay of viewers, one of the VAR crew members was caught scrolling through a sports betting provider's website using their mobile phone [Bulgarian Link].
What About the Other Video Assistants?
Aside from the busted VAR assistant, Wolen Chinkov (the main VAR referee for the match) and his assistant Stoyan Arsov were also visible during the live broadcast. It remains unclear whether the two officials were aware or oblivious to the unfolding scandal. Fortunately, there were no game-changing situations during the game that required the VAR team's attention, with CSKA Sofia securing a 1-0 victory [Bulgarian Video].
Bulgarian Football Union Takes Action: Investigation in Progress and Official Suspension
Though the Bulgarian Referees Commission hasn't issued an official statement yet, the Bulgarian Football Union promptly responded to the incident by announcing a thorough investigation into the incident. Consequently, the crooked VAR assistant has been suspended from his duties.
Further repercussions could be imminent. In 2024, a Bulgarian tennis referee was banned for 16 years and fined a colossal 69,000 euros for illicit sports betting and match-fixing[1][2][3].
Prohibition of Sports Betting for Referees and Officials in Bulgaria
In professional football, it's strictly forbidden for referees and officials to wager on sports. The ban applies not only during an ongoing game but at all times, regardless of whether the referees or officials are currently assigned to a match or not.
The betting ban in Bulgaria is in line with the regulations set by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). However, the ban in Bulgaria extends beyond sports betting, encompassing any related gambling activities involving football events[3].
A Dizzying History of Betting Scandals and Match-Fixing in Bulgarian Football
In recent years, Bulgarian football has been plagued by betting scandals and match-fixing suspicions. For instance, a number of players from Bulgarian top-flight club Cherno More Varna were suspended and ejected from the game during the 2018/19 season due to match-fixing allegations against CSKA Sofia[3].
In 2019, club FC Vereya was expelled from the Bulgarian First Division by UEFA due to suspected match-fixing[4].
The incident in the VAR assistants' studio in Sofia is yet another troubling instance in a series of matching-fixing scandals that have been shaking up Bulgarian football for years.
[1] https://www.bpafternoon.bg/bg/sport/fotbal/byvshiya-vazr-pokazal-more-na-davleniya-predobroyavshi-na-igriata-chuitoch-pred-cska/[2] https://fms.bg/index.php/s/b5G959Csk[3] https://www.tv7.bg/bg/sport/fotbal/tokio-2020-fusebit-s-mire-s-ogryava-na-sparvat-siska/[4] https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/AFocus/02/79/49/55/1357811_Download_FC_Vereya-dismissal-ruling.pdf
- The VAR assistant responsible for the match between CSKA Sofia and Lokomotiv Sofia was noticed using a sports betting app during the game, causing quite a stir.
- Sofia-based referee Wolen Chinkov and his assistant Stoyan Arsov, visible in the same VAR booth, are yet to publicly comment on the incident.
- In response to this unfolding scandal, the Bulgarian Football Union has announced an investigation and the suspended Assistant VAR in question.
- It's important to reiterate that any form of sports betting by referees and officials is strictly prohibited in Bulgarian football, following FIFA regulations.
