Illegal betting in football, no trial for players: just a €250 fine | OneFootball

The Milan Prosecutor's Office closes the investigation: no match-fixing, only bets on other sports or online poker. Tonali and Fagioli remain the most significant cases

Illegal betting in football, no trial for the players: just a 250 euro fine

The Milan Prosecutor's Office has officially closed the investigation into the large-scale inquiry concerning illegal betting in football, ruling out the hypothesis of match-fixing or rigged games. As reported by Corriere della Sera, the 13 players involved – including Sandro Tonali and Niccolò Fagioli – can avoid trial thanks to an "oblazione," which is the payment of a fine of about 250 euros that extinguishes the offense.

The outcome of the investigation: no match sold

The closure of the investigation by the Milan magistrates confirms a crucial point: "There was no match-fixing," meaning no alteration of sports results.

The public prosecutors have determined that the players did not bet on matches they were directly involved in, but limited themselves to betting on other sports or online poker tables, often on unauthorized platforms.

The law stipulates that for this type of offense – a misdemeanor punishable by up to three months in jail or a fine of up to 500 euros – the accused can avoid trial by paying a reduced amount, in this case, 250 euros, which closes the matter from a criminal perspective.

Tonali and Fagioli, the most delicate positions

Among the main figures in the investigation are Sandro Tonali and Niccolò Fagioli, who have already been sanctioned in sports proceedings with multi-month suspensions for violations of the FIGC code. In the criminal proceedings, unlike the others, both are also accused of promoting illegal betting and online poker platforms.

These are still minor offenses, but they confirm that the involvement of the two players was more direct compared to that of other colleagues.

The other accused: from Zaniolo to Florenzi, from McKennie to Di Maria

In total, the investigation involves 22 people, including 13 professional players. Besides Tonali and Fagioli, the accused also include Alessandro Florenzi, Nicolò Zaniolo, Mattia Perin, Weston McKennie, Ángel Di María, Leandro Paredes, Raoul Bellanova, Samuele Ricci, Matteo Cancellieri, Cristian Buonaiuto, Héctor Junior Firpo, and tennis player Matteo Gigante.

For all these names, the Prosecutor's Office has only contested participation in gambling on unauthorized sites, without any elements indicating sports manipulation or insider betting.

Oblazione and case closure: why there will be no trial

The use of "oblazione" allows the accused to extinguish the offense by paying an administrative fine, thus avoiding the celebration of a trial. It is a procedure provided for by Article 162 of the Penal Code for minor misdemeanors, like those emerging from this investigation.

In fact, the payment of the 250 euro fine results in the closure of the criminal file and the absence of convictions or entries in the criminal record.

The Milan Prosecutor's Office: "No alteration of the game"

Sources from the Milan Prosecutor's Office have reiterated that no elements have emerged linking the bets to attempts to manipulate results. The bets, investigators explain, did not affect the integrity of the competitions nor the behavior on the field of the players involved.

The investigation, however, serves as a warning for the world of professional football, where the line between private betting and illegal activity can be thin, especially in the context of unauthorized platforms.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.