Australian A-League captain accused of exploiting teammates in betting scandal
A Sydney court has heard that the former captain of the Australian A-League team Macarthur Bulls, Ulises Davila, exploited his leadership role as part of a betting scam.
Ex-Bulls players Kearyn Baccus, 33, and Clayton Lewis, 27, admitted they were each paid AU$10,000 (US$6,652)1 AUD = 0.6652 USD
2025-09-17Powered by CMG CurrenShift by Davila after deliberately earning cautions during a December 2023 match against Sydney FC.
According to Baccus’s lawyer Bryan Wrench, the former captain was at the heart of the scam.
“Davila was not only the captain of the team, but the captain of the scheme. He was the one who organised it. He directed it. He continued it,” he said.
Prosecutors allege Davila acted as a conduit to a Colombian criminal figure known as J Col, orchestrating 50 suspicious wagers through the Bogota-based operator BetPlay.
According to court documents, the bets generated more than AU$200,000 (US$133,047)1 AUD = 0.6652 USD
2025-09-17Powered by CMG CurrenShift in winnings.
Neither Baccus nor Lewis is accused of placing bets themselves, but all three players were suspended by Macarthur FC following their arrests. Baccus and Lewis, who have since left the club, pleaded guilty to corrupting betting outcomes, which carries a potential maximum 10-year jail term.
Davila faces nine charges and will return to court later this month.
Elsewhere in Australia, the Australian federal government has recently been pushing for gambling advertisement reform, restricting advertisements during sports events and children’s programming.
Abi Bray brings strong researching skills to the forefront of all of her writing, whether it’s the newest slots, industry trends or the ever changing legislation across the U.S, Asia and Australia, she maintains a keen eye for detail and a passion for reporting.
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