Barton has betting ban reduced by five months

Britain Football Soccer - Middlesbrough v Burnley - Premier League - The Riverside Stadium - 8/4/17 Burnley's Joey Barton applauds the fans at the end of the match Action Images via Reuters / Craig Brough Livepic

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Burnley midfielder Joey Barton has had his ban for breaking rules concerning betting on matches reduced by almost five months on appeal, the English Football Association said on Thursday.

Barton was banned for 18 months in April after being charged with placing 1,260 bets on football matches or competitions from 2006 to 2016, in breach of FA rules which prohibit players from gambling on games.