Stricter rules and suspensions expected concerning policy violations

January 13, 2024 - 12:00 pm

In October, Juventus midfielder Nicolò Fagioli received a modified 12-month suspension, with a five-month reduction in suspension in favour of rehabilitation work with youth organisations relating to gambling addiction. The suspension was the culmination of a far-reaching case carried out by prosecutors in Turin, where Fagioli, Sandro Tonali, and Nicolò Zaniolo were investigated concerning online sports betting violations.

The occurrence of betting violations has become more frequent. Sandro Tonali, who left Serie A for the Premier League ahead of the 2023/24 season, received a 10-month suspension from league play, including a rehabilitation programme. Tonali had just joined Newcastle, and the timing of the news came close to the announcement of Newcastle’s new betting partnership with American BetMGM.

The Las Vegas-based gambling and hospitality company has spearheaded the expansion of online sports betting in the US over the past five years and has now moved to the European market through a UK betting subsidiary. This is a new trend we are likely to see more of.

As the US online betting industry grows, more viewers will tune into the big European football leagues and, in turn, create more incentives for American brands to sponsor European teams. Already, in the years since the US legalised online sports betting on a state level in 2018, many online sportsbook brands from the US, including BetMGM, Caesar’s Palace, and DraftKings, have acquired European sports betting companies to strengthen their positions both at home and abroad.

The timing of BetMGM’s partnership with Newcastle highlights the difficult relationship between online gambling and professional sports, a relationship we can expect to grow. On the one hand, there’s the promotion of online betting targeting the fans, and on the other, protecting players from their own gambling impulses.

In the cases of Fagioli, Tonali, and Zaniolo, the betting violations did not include bets on their matches but rather gambling in general. Fagioli, for example, had accrued over €3 million in debts, which had severely affected his mental health and performance on the pitch. Juventus FC recently signed a deal with Eurobet to become the main betting partner, and Newcastle’s main sponsors are all betting companies, including American BetMGM.

Not only European football leagues are battling these issues. In April, the NFL in the United States suspended three players for the whole season after they were found placing bets on NFL games during the 2022/23 season. Another four players were prohibited from participating in the season openers after violating the NFL’s gambling policy. Similar incidents have been recorded among most US sports, all the way down to the college level. Following these incidents, the NFL issued a rule change in September, bringing stricter rules and longer suspensions for players who violate the gambling policy.

Essentially, wherever you look—leagues, continents, and across all ages—there’s the paradox of commercialising and advertising sports betting while at the same time controlling and fighting the unwanted side effects of gambling among professional athletes. League officials and executives regularly talk about upholding the integrity of sports; however, in light of recent events, it’s difficult to take them seriously.