Zlatan Ibrahimovic is being investigated over alleged financial ties to a betting company, and could face a 3-year ban if found guilty

• AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic is under investigation for an alleged breach of soccer betting rules.
• Swedish media reports that he owns a 10% stake in a betting company, which would break UEFA rules.
• If found guilty, he could face a maximum three year ban from the sport under FIFA rules.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is being investigated by European soccer's governing body, UEFA, over an "alleged financial interest in a betting company."

According to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, the AC Milan striker owns a 10% stake in Bethard, a Malta-based gambling website, through his company Unknown AB. Ibrahimovic was announced as an ambassador for Bethard in 2018.

UEFA's disciplinary regulations state players should not have financial interests in the betting industry.

"A UEFA ethics and disciplinary inspector has today been appointed to conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding a potential violation of the UEFA disciplinary regulations by Mr Zlatan Ibrahimovic for having an alleged financial interest in a betting company," said a statement from UEFA.

"Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course," it added.

According to FIFA regulations, the 39-year-old could be suspended from soccer for up to three years and fined up to $119,000 if found guilty.

The sanctions that could be handed down to Ibrahimovic by UEFA are unclear, though its website says it has a "strict zero-tolerance policy" for misconduct.

Ibrahimovic has not yet publicly comment on the reports of an investigation. Neither AC Milan nor Bethard immediately replied to requests for comment from Insider.

He has spoken publicly about his involvement with Bethard in the past, and in March 2018 became an ambassador for the firm. At that time, there was no suggestion that Ibrahimovic owned a stake in Bethard, as was reported by Aftonbladet.

"He will not only be an active ambassador for the brand, but also engage in the on-going development of the company's offering," a statement from Bethard at the time said.

In the statement, Ibrahimovic was quoted as saying: "I have obviously been intensively courted by betting companies throughout my career, but up until now I have not been presented to anything that has triggered me."

"With Bethard, there was something different. It's a company with Swedish roots, the founders are from my home town and they are true challengers who really wants to do things differently."

As part of his role as an ambassador for Bethard, Ibrahimovic has appeared in a number of commercials for the firm.

The investigation into Ibrahimovic's alleged financial involvement with a betting company comes just days after he was fined by €4,000 ($4,850) by the Italian FA (FIGC) for his role in a bust-up with Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku during a Coppa Italia match in January.

The pair clashed heads and exchanged insults on the stroke of half-time, with Ibrahimovic telling Lukaku: "Go do your voodoo s---, go do your voodoo s---, little donkey."

The Swede was later denied the insult was racist, with it appearing to relate to comments made about Lukaku by Everton owner Farhad Moshiri in 2018, who claimed the Belgian tried striker opted to leave the club for Manchester United after receiving a "voodoo message."

Both Lukaku and Ibrahimovic were sanctioned for "unsportsmanlike behaviour with provocative phrases."