Former Tottenham owner Joe Lewis was investigated by the FA for his alleged involvement in a betting scandal
Former Tottenham owner Joe Lewis was probed by the Football Association over allegations he breached betting regulations before transferring his shares to the Lewis Family Trust back in October 2022. The FA was alerted to a possible violation of its betting rules in 2022. After looking into the allegations, it decided that no further action was required.
As per The Sun, the investigation, first reported this week, looked into claims involving Lewis. His company, ENIC, took control of Spurs back in 2001. Officials are examining whether he may have broken rules that ban club owners from betting on football. The 88-year-old billionaire was subject to those regulations throughout his time in charge.
The timing of Lewis’s share transfer proved significant. He moved his holdings to the Lewis Family Trust in October 2022, placing him outside FA jurisdiction as he no longer maintained an official club role. That transfer occurred shortly before US prosecutors in New York announced insider trading charges against him.
Lewis was fined $5 million last year after the British billionaire pleaded guilty to insider trading. The Bahamas-based Lewis will not be returning to the club, which will continue to be run by the next generation of the Lewis family.
He admitted the charge in 2024 and received probation alongside the substantial fine, though he was officially pardoned by US President Donald Trump earlier this month. The pardon allows him to visit grandchildren and receive medical treatment in the United States.
It remains unclear whether the FA’s decision to conclude its betting probe occurred before or after the share sale to the family trust. Sources familiar with the matter declined to specify the investigation’s timeline or findings.
Joe Lewis’ Family’s Expanding Influence
The Lewis family has significantly increased its involvement at Tottenham over the past year. That increased presence culminated in the ousting of Daniel Levy, once Lewis’s close associate, from the chief executive position in September 2025.
Peter Charrington, another long-time Lewis associate and City financier, now serves as chairman. Lewis’s children, Vivienne and Charles, hold high-profile roles within the club’s structure, while Nick Beucher, husband of Vivienne’s daughter, has also joined the hierarchy.
The Premier League reportedly advised one individual suggested by the Trust for a potential board position not to apply due to his close relationship with Lewis. That recommendation suggests lingering concerns about the billionaire’s influence despite his official exit from ownership.
Despite recent takeover interest from multiple firms, the Lewis family has insisted Tottenham is not for sale. They announced a £100 million cash injection in October to demonstrate their ambitions for long-term sporting success.
The club stated the equity injection would strengthen its financial position and equip leadership with additional resources to drive sporting achievement. Since Levy’s departure, CEO Vinai Venkatesham has assumed day-to-day operational control.
The FA, Premier League, and Tottenham all declined to comment on the betting investigation when approached by media outlets. A representative of Lewis and his Tavistock Group similarly offered no response to inquiries about the matter.
Lewis’s legal troubles in the US stemmed from accusations he shared confidential information with employees, friends, and romantic partners between 2013 and 2021. Prosecutors alleged those individuals profited millions from trading on privileged knowledge, enabled by tips from Lewis regarding his portfolio companies.