Referee who introduced Sandro Tonali to gambling suspended by Italian refereeing body
Serie D referee Pietro Marinoni has been precautionarily suspended by the AIA (Italian Referees' Association) after being named as the person who introduced Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali to illegal online gambling.
Marinoni—who reportedly earned just €7,000 annually but drove a Porsche Macan—is under investigation by Milan prosecutors in connection with a wider illegal gambling network involving 12 current and former Serie A players. Marinoni allegedly acted as a central figure, placing bets for players and facilitating access to illicit platforms.
Tonali previously told Italian authorities: “The person who initiated me to gambling is Pietro Marinoni, who comes from the same city as me and went to school with my sister. He was a referee.”
Tonali also revealed he accumulated debts of up to €500,000, though he was never threatened, only encouraged to keep betting.
The Milan investigation has now expanded to include several high-profile names such as Alessandro Florenzi, Leandro Paredes, Angel Di Maria, Junior Firpo, and others, suspected of participating in illegal poker games between 2021 and 2023. The inquiry began with the phone seizures of Tonali and Nicolo Fagioli in October 2023, which exposed links to money laundering through a Milan-based jewellery shop.
While no evidence currently suggests betting on football by most involved players, the FIGC is awaiting official documents before evaluating potential disciplinary action. Criminally, the players risk only a €250 fine.
