Italian footballers Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Fagioli have agreed plea deals as the investigation into their alleged involvement in illegal gambling activity has reached a conclusion.
Tonali will pay a fine of €78,000 while Fagioli has been handed a one-month suspended prison sentence.
This stems from an investigation into athletes, including around a dozen Serie A footballers, who allegedly used unauthorised online betting platforms between 2021 and 2023.
Both players previously served lengthy bans between 2023 and 2024 for involvement in illegal gambling, including betting on football matches, which is prohibited for professional players.
In October 2023, the Italian Football Federation confirmed Tonali would serve a 10-match suspension, pay a €20,000 fine and attend a series of events aimed at raising awareness of gambling addiction. Fagioli received a seven-month suspension and a €12,500 fine.
These sanctions are separate from the criminal investigation. Tonali and Fagioli were accused of betting on illegal betting sites, promoting these platforms among other professional athletes, as well as opening accounts and processing payments on behalf of colleagues.
In separate news from the country this week, the Observatory on Illegal Online Gambling estimated that illegal online gambling in Italy generates around €20bn annually, with 4.5 million users and more than 13 million recorded accesses in Q1 2026.
Social networks are playing an increasingly important role as a point of contact between players and operators through advertising.
According to the report, advertisements on social platforms are perceived as more credible, creating a mechanism of implicit legitimisation, lowering perceived risk and increasing trust in illegal content.
Italian Serie A clubs are calling for a review or abolition of the Dignity Decree to relax rules on gambling advertising and sponsorships
