Betting scandal rocks Italy
National player admits his gambling addiction in “Tsunami”.
October 19, 2023, 12:52 p.m
A betting scandal rocks Italian football. Numerous top players have been targeted by the public prosecutor’s office following the revelations of a former celebrity photographer named Corona. Fagioli, a professional, has already been punished, and now the 70 million euro man Tonali is also admitting his gambling addiction.
The Italian national soccer player Sandro Tonali has admitted his gambling addiction during the investigation into possible illegal sports betting. As the “Gazzetta dello Sport” reported, the Newcastle United midfielder presented a corresponding certificate to the chief prosecutor of the Italian Football Association. The 23-year-old Tonali also declared his willingness to undergo therapy.
According to media reports, Tonali, who moved from AC Milan to the Premier League in the summer for 70 million euros, is seeking a similar agreement to Juventus professional Nicolo Fagioli, who has agreed on a seven-month ban with the association. The 22-year-old must also pay a fine of 12,500 euros and undergo at least six months of therapy to combat his gambling addiction. In addition, Fagioli will take part in ten lectures on the subject of gambling addiction.
Fagioli is said to have accumulated debts of three million euros because of his gambling addiction. Although Tonali is not in debt, his situation is more serious than that of Fagioli because he bet on games played by his former clubs Milan and Brescia Calcio, Italian media reported. 24-year-old Nicolo Zaniolo from Aston Villa is also involved in the scandal.
Gambling is generally allowed in Italy, but not on illegal online platforms. However, players are not allowed to bet in sports in which they are active. The former celebrity photographer Fabrizio Corona, who made the affair public, has already announced that he will name other names of footballers involved. Last week, the daily newspaper “Corriere della Sera” warned of a “tsunami” that could hit Italian football.