Italy's 'player gambling scandal' grows as "more than 30 people convinced of involvement"

 The gambling scandal rocking Italian soccer is set to get even bigger.

The Italian soccer world has been rocked by a recent gambling scandal. It started with Juventus midfielder Nicolo Pazzioli. Since the investigation into his alleged gambling began, other players have been investigated, and news of illegal betting by Italian players has continued to surface.

"Sandro Tonali and Niccolo Zaniolo have been investigated by the Italian authorities," European soccer transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano wrote on social media on March 13. They were investigated after news broke that they may have been involved in illegal bookmaking and left the Italian national team training camp." After Pazzioli, Tonalli and Zaniolo were also investigated.

The inclusion of Tonali, who represents both the Italian national team and Newcastle's midfield, is of particular interest. Born in 2000, Tonali was dubbed the "next Andrea Pirlo" during his time at Brescia, despite his young age. 

He went on to play for AC Milan, where his long kicks, dribbling, and ability to dictate the tempo of the game quickly made him an integral part of the midfield, and alongside the likes of Ismael Benasser and Franck Kessie, he helped the club win the Serie A title in 2021/22, before moving to Newcastle ahead of this season to adapt to life in the Premier League. 

Alongside Tonali, Zaniolo is an Italian prospect who played for AS Roma and is currently on loan at Aston Villa.

The Italian national team released an official statement after news of the investigation broke, saying, "We have been informed by the Turin Public Prosecutor's Office that Tonali and Zaniolo are under investigation. Considering that, regardless of the nature of the act, in this situation the two players are not in the necessary conditions to fulfill the upcoming matches, the national team has decided to protect them and allow them to return to work," the statement said, adding that the players have been sent back for investigation while the charges have not yet been finalized. 

According to the Italian soccer federation's sports fairness code, the gambling allegations could result in disciplinary action up to and including professional bans. 

In the meantime, reports have emerged suggesting that the three players are not the only ones involved in the case, which has alarmed fans. 

Citing a report from Italian outlet La Repubblica, Italian media outlet Area Napoli reported on Thursday (July 14) that "30 players were involved. Pazzioli gambled more than €1 million ($1.4 billion) and brought along footballer friends due to his ties to gambling agents. However, Tonali and Zaniolo were not the only players Pazzioli contacted. Police are already investigating 12 players, some of whom are Serie A players."

"Some investigators are even convinced that, in the end, more than 30 players may have been involved in the gambling. They believe something could come out between the gambling agents and the deal books... They went to the national team's 카지노 training center and confiscated the cell phones and tablets of both players out of concern that evidence could be destroyed after Tonali and Zaniolo's names were made public," he said, explaining that police seized what could be some evidence. 

If the reports are true, the Italian soccer world will be rocked. Last season in the Premier League, Brentford striker Ivan Toney received an eight-month suspension for illegal gambling, but Italian soccer reportedly has stricter rules, so it's possible that the players involved could face lengthy suspensions or even be banned. 

Meanwhile, some media outlets have reported that Zaniolo and Tonali have now "testified that they played poker and blackjack but did not bet on soccer," while others have reported that Zaniolo is accused of playing an active role in spreading illegal gambling.