The Serie A has had its share of scandals, such as the 2011-12 match-fixing scandal and the infamous 2003 Calciopoli scandal involving Juventus, and now it looks as if the league's credibility is going to be questioned yet again as it comes out that officials and players alike have been betting on matches across the Serie A, with two the players that have been named so far is Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli and Newcatsles star signing Sandro Tonali with the later being more recently banned from playing for 10 months by the FIGC with their 1-0 loss against Borussia Dortmund being his last appearance before the ban being enforced.
In light of the recent FIGC sanctions against Italian footballers for breaching betting regulations, the situation has unveiled its intricacies and complexities. At the centre of many of these allegations stands the controversial figure Fabrizio Corona, known for his history of legal troubles and questionable activities.
These cases must be considered cautiously, recognizing that some players, like Nicolo Fagioli, find themselves entangled in gambling addiction and financial debt, while others outright deny involvement.
Legal actions, including defamation lawsuits, are being pursued by players like Stephan El Shaarawy and Nicolo Casale. At the same time, individuals like Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella are resolute in refuting any accusations. The situation remains intricate, underscoring the necessity for a thorough investigation and due process to separate fact from fiction in these high-stakes allegations.
As a result of the bans and new allegations, the European Gaming and Betting Association's blanket ban on gambling advertising to help combat the black market after a report came out that players in Italy annually spend 25 billion euros, with 18.5 billion euros being used on which represents 75% of the black market bets, this predominantly because the EGBA are concerned about the number of players using these sites, especially ones located outside the EU as these sites do not offer the same or any consumer protection, therefore when cases like the recent events with Fagioli and Tonali it makes it harder to crack down on people that have been taking advantage of players that are vulnerable and aiding their addiction problems.