Sandro Tonali & Nicolo Fagioli Receive Criminal Sentences for Illegal Gambling

(AsiaGameHub) –   Italian football players Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Fagioli have been sentenced to criminal penalties for their involvement in illegal gambling activities. While both had previously served significant suspensions related to sports betting, they also faced prosecution on criminal charges.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) imposed a 10-month ban on Tonali and a 7-month suspension on Fagioli, effective from October 2023, for placing bets on soccer matches. Both players have since returned to competition with their clubs—Newcastle United and Fiorentina.

Tonali acknowledged that he placed wagers on matches involving his own teams during his time at Brescia and AC Milan in Italy. Fagioli admitted to betting on soccer games but denied wagering on matches featuring his team.

In addition to their sporting sanctions, the two faced criminal charges for promoting illegal gambling websites where they made their own bets. They both entered guilty pleas. Tonali was fined €78,250 ($92,000), while Fagioli received a one-month suspended prison sentence.

Tonali & Fagioli Urged Other Players to Gamble Illegally

Fagioli confessed to encouraging fellow players to use unauthorized gambling platforms. In his testimony, he stated: “I recommended to [fellow player Nicolò] Zaniolo illicit sites where he could place online bets—on roulette or poker—and told him about them. The operators had promised me incentives if I referred other bettors to their sites.”

Advertising gambling services is prohibited in Italy, and professional athletes are strictly barred from endorsing any form of betting on sports. This includes Argentina’s goalkeeper Emi Martínez, who is currently under investigation for appearing in a gambling advertisement in his home country.

Beyond promoting these platforms, Fagioli and Tonali were accused of opening accounts and facilitating payments for other players, including Zaniolo, US midfielder Weston McKennie, and at least seven additional Serie A athletes.

This group of players—alongside tennis star Matteo Gigante—was found to have used these illegal platforms exclusively for games of chance, such as online poker or roulette, rather than placing bets on actual soccer or tennis matches.

As a result, they collectively paid a standard penalty in Italy for participating in unlicensed gambling: a fine of €258 (just over $300).

Players Living ‘Second Life’ After Gambling Addictions

The verdict concludes the ongoing investigation. As part of their sporting sanctions, Tonali and Fagioli were required to undergo treatment for gambling disorders.

Tonali completed an eight-month program addressing his gambling addiction and participated in at least 16 public outreach events across Italy to discuss the risks associated with betting. Fagioli took part in a six-month therapeutic intervention and attended 10 informational sessions at amateur sports centers and recovery clinics.

Tonali described his current life as a “second life” following his recovery from addiction. In an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica, he reflected on the difficulty of the process.

“During my time away from football, I spent extensive sessions with a psychologist,” Tonali explained. “His role was to help me understand how deeply I had become entangled in this habit.”

He revealed that he began gambling at age 17 or 18, and over time, the behavior worsened without his awareness. “When someone finds themselves in such a situation, it’s difficult to ask if they’re unwell,” he said. “They almost always answer no—even when they know something is wrong. People struggle to accept they have this kind of problem and often choose secrecy.”

A gambling addict speaking anonymously to CasinoBeats shared a similar experience, citing the stigma around admitting addiction as a key reason for concealment. For Tonali, his high salary shielded him from immediate financial consequences, delaying his recognition of the severity of his condition.

“Usually, you only realize there’s a crisis when you lose something important—family, job, income,” he said. “In my case, my financial stability prevented me from seeing how serious things had become. Recovering wasn’t easy.”

In Fagioli’s case, he reportedly wagered up to €3 million ($3.5 million), accumulating debts totaling €587,000 ($690,000). He described his personal “rebirth” as beginning “when they banned me.”

“That’s when I finally understood what I had put myself through and decided to return to a normal life,” he told The Athletic. Both players have since resumed their professional careers and represented Italy internationally; however, the national team missed qualifying for the World Cup for the third consecutive tournament this summer.

Gambling Organizers Sentenced to Prison Terms

Within the broader investigation, those responsible for operating the betting platforms where Tonali and Fagioli placed their wagers received prison sentences.

Thomas De Giacomo and Patrick Frizzera were each handed custodial terms—two years and three months and two years, respectively. Authorities allege they functioned as “gatekeepers,” supplying players with access codes to private digital spaces where they could gamble on poker, roulette, and sports without betting limits.

Two of the main sites implicated in the probe were Betsport22.com and Vipsport360.com. Both platforms are now defunct.

To conceal gambling-related financial flows, the scheme arranged for indebted players to purchase luxury watches from Milan-based jeweler Elysium Group.

Players would transfer funds via bank wire to Elysium, requesting “luxury timepieces”—specifically models from Rolex and Patek Philippe. The store issued genuine invoices for physical items, but the watches were never delivered.

Three individuals—Antonio Scinocca, Antonino Parise, and Andrea Piccini—received prison sentences of two years and six months under a plea agreement. They were convicted of money laundering and aiding the illegal betting operation.