According to Sky Sport Italia, Aston Villa winger Nicolò Zaniolo is expected in Turin’s public prosecutor’s office today. The youngster has admitted to using illegal betting apps, along with teammates Nicolo Fagioli and Sandro Tonali, and is expected to learn his punishment in the coming weeks.
Fagioli has begun his 7-month ban from football, while Tonali is expected to have official confirmation of his 10-month ban in the next few days.
Sky Sport Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio reports that Zaniolo will be the third player to be heard by prosecutor Manuela Pedrotta, who is in charge of the investigation into illegal betting. Zaniolo is charged with the unauthorised exercise of gaming or betting activities, provided for in Article 4 of Law 401 of 1989.
Unlike Fagioli and Tonali, who both took a plea bargain, Zaniolo admitted to having used illegal betting platforms, but only to play poker and blackjack, thus never having bet on football.
If this were to be verified, the player would only risk a fine for having bet on such platforms, without therefore incurring any repercussions, e.g. disqualification.
