Soccer Star Tonali, Slapped with New Gambling Allegations

The English Football Association (FA) has charged Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali with breaching the soccer betting rules, according to an announcement made on Thursday.

Tonaly Was Already Facing a 10-Month Ban

Tonali, who has already been slapped with a 10-month ban from the Italian soccer federation for wagering on teams he played for, might be in even more trouble after the English FA announced he allegedly placed 50 bets on matches from August 12 to October 12, 2023.

According to the authorities, the player allegedly placed the wagers over the course of three months. 

The time span also included the first months that he spent with the new club after leaving AC Milan behind in July 2023 as a result of inking a £60 million ($76.3 million) contract. 

Thursday’s allegations add to the player’s headache since he was not able to play after he was originally charged by the governing body of Italian soccer. 

Tonali is currently halfway through the initial ban. He is still allowed to train with the team.

It still remains unclear what his additional punishment might be, provided he is found guilty of the new charges. 

April 5, Deadline to Answer the Allegations 

October 12, 2023, was the day when the 23-year-old soccer star was sent home from Italy’s training camp after he was informed by the police of his involvement in a betting investigation.

He was only allowed to participate in a dozen matches as a representative of the Premier League club after he was caught up in a complex betting investigation that also involved Juventus midfielder Nicolò Fagioli. The latter was also hit with a seven-month ban.

Tonali then told prosecutors he placed bets on Milan and Brescia while he was still playing for the respective clubs. 

The player’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, also acknowledged that his client was dealing with a gambling problem.

Tonali agreed to a plea bargain with the Italian federation. The deal also included requirements like attending gambling addiction therapy and making 16 public appearances at amateur soccer clubs, federal training centers, and charities that tackle addiction.

Now, the FA announced the player has received a deadline that will expire on April 5 to reply to the allegations.

As of yet, FA authorities have not revealed which matches Tonali allegedly placed bets on, or whether any of them involved the Newcastle club.

At the end of January, soccer icon Samuel Eto and the president of the Cameroon Football Federation faced a series of allegations of match-fixing.

Last May, Brentford striker Ivan Toney received an 8-month ban from soccer as a result of his participation in sports betting.