Wolves boss addresses gambling in football as Newcastle star handed lengthy ban

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil believes football has a responsibility to protect players from the dangers of gambling.

Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali has been banned from football for 10 months after admitting breaches of betting regulations, according to reports from Italy. Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina has told Sky Sports Italia the governing body has reached an agreement with the player under which he will be banned for 10 months in addition to eight months of rehabilitation and an obligation to make a series of public appearances.

That would rule the 23-year-old, a £55million summer signing from AC Milan, out of the remainder of the Magpies’ season and Italy’s Euro 2024 finals campaign, should they qualify. Meanwhile, Aston Villa loanee Nicolo Zaniolo is helping Italian authorities with their investigation, having denied he has placed any bets on football, while Juventus’ Nicolo Fagioli has been banned for seven months.

Ivan Toney, the Brentford striker, is still serving a playing suspension for betting until January, while Nottingham Forest’s Harry Toffolo was given a suspended five-month ban after 375 breaches of the rules.

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“It’s something young players need support with, that support wasn’t there when I was playing,” said O’Neil, who played with Paul Merson – a recovering gambling addict – at Walsall and Portsmouth.

“I was surrounded by a lot of gambling, senior pros in the dressing room where you thought, ‘this is normal.’ It’s important the lads understand what it can mean for family life, missing games like some players are.

“There’s a responsibility from the game to ensure there’s a good education for the players because it can seem fun and nothing but all of a sudden you’re missing football for eight months and missing loads of money.

“It’s important we understand what it can do. If I go back to when I was playing it was everywhere. It was part of the culture, it was on the team bus, people checking scores at half-time. The hard thing is it’s not as obvious as other addictions.

“You can’t see it. So it can be a tricky one. I’m not an expert on it but it’s something the lads need support with, they need to understand the consequences it can have on life, finances, breaking rules.

“What would have helped me, not that I had an issue, but if someone had said to me, ‘just so you know, you’re going to play football for 15 years. If you get carried away gambling you’re going to lose half your money’.

“That would have helped me. Just educating the players, we’re never going to get rid of gambling, it’s a possibility for everyone.”

O'Neil's Wolves side face Newcastle at Molineux in the Premier League on Saturday.