Italy forward Nicolo Zaniolo is facing more serious accusations than the rest of the players in the betting mess. The Aston Villa player is being charged with running a criminal betting ring in addition to the illegal betting charges.
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Zaniolo, Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United and Juventus midfielder Nicolò Fagioli are all under investigation for using illegal betting sites.
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There are also rumours of Roma wing-back Nicola Zalewski being in the list. Although he is not yet formally under investigation.
According to reports including from La Repubblica, Zaniolo and Tonali told their friends and the police that they were only betting on blackjacks and poker, not football.
Now, news agency ANSA has brought forward fresh accusations. It claims Zaniolo is facing more serious charges than the others, specifically of violating Article 4 of law 401/98.
That is a charge of effectively not just using illegal betting sites, but having an active role in organising and spreading the practice.
Some reports also claim Zaniolo’s mother, Francesca Costa, could also be involved in the investigation.
In theory, this could be as simple as creating a group where players can bet against one another and it does stand former Roma and Galatasaray star Zaniolo out from the others.
It is important to remember that professional football players are banned from betting on any sporting event and not just ones they are involved in.
However, there are some discrepancies regarding the accusations against Zaniolo. Many sources claimed that Zaniolo was betting on Roma games while he was on the bench. However, the recording from his source said that Zaniolo was “injured” at the time, so should’ve been in the stands or at home watching on television.
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