The soccer gambling scandal in Italy continues with Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali reportedly set to receive a suspension from competing. Tonali and other players, including Nicolo Zniolo and Nicolo Fagioli, were found guilty of betting on sports, breaching Article 24 of the Sporting Justice Code.

Reports say that Tonali will be allowed to compete in the upcoming Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund. However, this will likely be his final participation in a competitive game before a suspension kicks in.

Tonali, who wagered on sports illegally, is set to undergo months of addiction therapy. The player will also be included in anti-gambling initiatives. In any case, the athlete is likely to be suspended from competing professionally for multiple months.

The Italian soccer player will likely receive a 10-month suspension.

Newcastle May Sue Milan

The current scandal may also lead to a lawsuit in the world of professional soccer.

According to reports, Newcastle may sue AC Milan, Tonali’s former team. For reference, the midfielder was transferred in July. As a result, Newcastle will now suffer being a player down because of Tonali’s previous transgressions which his former team may have been aware of.

In any case, the soccer club will continue to support Tonali despite the scandal. In an earlier statement, Newcastle pointed out that the athlete was fully compliant with the investigation.

Fagioli’s Doctor Says More Athletes Are Likely Involved

In the meantime, Nicolo Fagioli received a 12-month ban, eventually reduced to only 7 off-field months because of his cooperation with the investigation. Fagioli, who admitted to having gambling problems, started gambling as a pastime but eventually lost control of his habits.

Paolo Jarre, the doctor responsible for Fagioli’s gambling treatment, described the athlete as a polite and subdued man whose condition is not as bad as it could have been. Jarre is convinced that Fagioli will be able to make a full recovery from his addiction and return to competing.

However, the doctor pointed out that there are likely many other players involved in this illegal gambling scheme.

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The suspension that SkyCity Entertainment Group is looking at has to do with an application by the Secretary of the Department of Internal Affairs, which specifically addresses a case from February 2022 and has to do with a complaint from a customer who gambled at the SkyCity Auckland property between August 2017 and February 2021.

Several Casinos Targeted in New Zealand

According to the complaint and application, SkyCity Casino Management Limited, the subsidiary tasked with running the SkyCity Hamilton, SkyCity Queenstown, and SkyCity Auckland, did not comply in full with the requirements under its responsible gambling play – the SkyCity Auckland Host Responsibility Program.

The venue is accused of having allowed the player to gamble without regard for their source of income. The Host Responsibility Program is designed to prevent such incidences in such instances, but it has not been used effectively, the application stated.

The Commission will now have to decide whether it would move forward with a casino license suspension, but the company seems confident that the suspension would not last more than 10 days. SkyCity Entertainment Group has clarified that its operations at SkyCity Adelaide, the Australian property, would not be impacted.

Before a suspension may come about, however, the Gambling Commission may want to investigate further and summon all parties involved, which is usually a lengthy process that takes several months at the very least. As to SkyCity, the company has expressed its readiness to collaborate with authorities.

Possible Suspension Still a Long Way Off

“SkyCity will fully cooperate with the Secretary in relation to the application and process,” the company said.

“SkyCity is committed to maintaining the highest standards of host responsibility best practice, with priority given to minimizing the impacts associated with problem gambling as an area of primary focus,” the company added, assuring that it was determined to pursue a course of action that would allow it to take better care of its patrons.

Meanwhile, the company has also faced pressure in Australia where the country’s financial regulator, AUSTRAC, opened civil penalty proceedings against the casino in December. The casino is also undergoing a thorough review of its AML and CTF policies as part of a broader sweep in Australia attempting to determine whether operators are complying with gambling laws.

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The executive director’s tweets made derogatory remarks about women and included references to a white nationalist group, sparking widespread criticism and prompting an internal investigation. Champion apologized for his actions, noting he meant his words as satire but failed to judge their implications. His suspension clearly shows that even high-level officials can face consequences for their mistakes.

The Official Failed to Champion the Regulator’s Values

Milt Champion’s private Twitter account faced scrutiny when several tweets surfaced containing his derogatory comments about women and positive references to a white nationalist group. The first social media post referred to women by a pejorative term, while his second tweet noted that a neo-fascist hate group was “at least not burning down cities and looting stores.”

The Gambling Control Unit’s swift investigation and disciplinary action presented a reflection and growth opportunity for Champion. He thanked his colleagues for their hard work and commitment during his absence and offered a public apology. Champion regretted his actions, noting that the tweets did not reflect his views, but acknowledged their potentially harmful language.

While the two tweets were intended to be humorous, I recognize they were anything but. They were a mistake and an error in judgment, and I apologize for my actions.

Milt Champion, Maine Gambling Control executive director

The Maine gambling regulator concluded that Champion’s tweets violated the standards of conduct expected of a public servant. A one-week suspension without pay and mandatory workplace harassment and social media etiquette training should ensure that the executive director feels the consequences of his actions. As the head of a high-profile organization, Champion must always strive to uphold professionalism and maintain public trust.

The Official Failed to Champion the Regulator’s Values

Following the incident, the Gambling Control Unit must demonstrate a commitment to fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect. The organization can implement sensitivity training programs, promote diversity and inclusion initiatives, and ensure that all staff members understand the expectations of their professional conduct. Actively engaging with the public and fostering open dialogue should hopefully prevent similar future incidents.

Gambling regulators’ role as protectors of the public makes these organizations significantly more prone to scrutiny, especially concerning their public image. Recent social media controversies regarding high-profile organizations demonstrate the value of proper work ethics and social media awareness. Public servants must exercise good judgment and refrain from engaging in behavior that may compromise their ability to carry out their duties impartially.

Milt Champion’s disciplinary action underscores the expectations placed upon public servants to uphold values of respect, equality, and fairness. The Gambling Control Unit’s willingness to address the incident transparently and implement measures to prevent future occurrences will be instrumental in rebuilding public trust in the organization’s commitment to ethical conduct.

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A Finnish influencer and content creator has been slapped with a suspended jail sentence for promoting illegal gambling in the country. The online celebrity will also be forced to forfeit tens of thousands of dollars in assets because of his violation.

The influencer in question is none other than Lauri Kangas, better known by his alias Lateksituppi. He boasts a large following on the Amazon-owned streaming site Twitch where he streams gambling content.

However, local authorities found out that Lateksituppi promoted games not offered by the Finnish gambling monopoly, Veikkaus Oy. In addition, he promoted illegal products, such as instant casino games, across his social media accounts.

Since this is a violation of the rules outlined in Finland’s Lotteries Act, Lateksituppi was taken to court.

The Streamer Received a Suspended Sentence

The court concluded that Lateksituppi’s content specifically targeted Finnish players since his streams were in Finnish and designed to appeal to local audiences. This also applies to his social media channels, which promoted illegal gambling content to Finns.

For reference, the celebrity has a following of over 61,000 people on Instagram

Because of the overwhelming evidence of his violations, Lateksituppi was handed a 50-day suspended prison sentence. While he will be spared jail for now, further violations might cause him to serve the sentence.

In addition to the threat of having to go to jail, Lateksituppi will also be forced to forfeit thousands of dollars in assets. At first, the prosecution wanted him to pay EUR 69,313 (around $74,729). However, the court eventually settled for an asset forfeiture of EUR 51,300 (around $55,308).

Lateksituppi Is Likely Unimpressed

It is uncertain whether this sentence will impress or upset Lateksituppi, who was described as arrogant by local news outlets. Not only did the streamer arrive at the district court in a golden SUV but he also parked it in spaces reserved for the police.

In addition, reports claim that he was rude and that he mocked the people who sued him on his social media channel. The gambling celebrity allegedly slammed his court adversaries by saying that they will never be as rich as he has gotten by promoting unlicensed gambling in Finland. Lateksituppi bragged about making the same money some people make in years by simply lying around and playing games that are illegal in the country.

In other news, Finland recently fined BML Group, which breached its advertising rules.

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The latest player to be named is also the first British player, Mark King, who has been suspended over a game he played against Joe Perry and lost 4-0 in February at the Welsh Open

King Becomes First British Player Suspended in Recent Match-Fixing Case

King’s name is lumped together for the time being with that of 10 Chinse players who are also facing match-fixing charges and other offenses. His suspension comes with an official confirmation by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) which released a statement on the matter.

According to the press release, the organization’s chairman, Jason Ferguson, has made a decision to suspend King from attending or participating in the World Snooker Tour with immediate effect. The suspension announcement also came with a clarification:

The suspension will remain in place until the conclusion of the investigation or any subsequent charges that may or may not be brought.

WPBSA statement

Perry, though, has not been accused of wrongdoing and said that he was surprised to hear that the WPBSA would open an investigation. In his opinion, King was simply having a bad day at the table, not so much losing on purpose.

He further added that like any top-ranking player, King is prone to have his good and bad days. Perry said that he himself had bad streaks and found it hard to rally from some of those. However Perry noted that King did have a gambling addiction, but to the best of his knowledge, the man had been able to keep it at bay and stay away from gambling.

Every Player Has Their Bad and Awful Days

“I hope it comes to nothing, I hope it’s just a coincidence and it comes to nothing. I’d hate to see any truth in it,” he concluded. The first reports of suspended players began at the start of the year, with a number of Chinese players named in the first offenses. Their numbers have since swelled to 10 suspects.

While King may have been involved in some strange betting patterns, this does not mean that the man did anything purposefully. There is no clear statement as to how King would have even known the other players and what he would have done to connect with match-fixers in the first place. All of this will be answered during the investigation.

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Mega-power online betting company 888 has suspended VIP operations in the Middle East and its top executive has stepped down in news that has eroded the value of company stock. An internal compliance investigation has been announced in regard to perceived failures in internal anti-money laundering and know-your-customer (KYC) processes.

According to the company, certain best practices related to anti-money laundering and KYC regulations “have not been followed”.

According to UK’s The Guardian, share prices have folded by as much as a quarter of their value in the firm’s biggest loss in share price in nearly two decades. Over the last year, the share price has dropped over 70%, according to the news organization.

In relation to account holders in the Middle East, the company said: “While further internal investigations are underway, the board has taken the decision to suspend VIP customer accounts in the region, effective immediately. Based on the board’s current understanding, the process deficiencies identified are isolated to this region only.”

About 3% of the company’s revenues (+/- £50m) would be affected by the suspensions.

CEO Steps Down

Separately, as the company did not state a reason for the following, 888 said on Monday that 4-year CEO, Itai Pazner would exit his role as chief executive and company director and would be replaced with immediate effect on an interim basis by non-executive chairman Lord Mendelsohn.

Pazner, 50 has worked for the company for more than 20 years and oversaw the acquisition of William Hill’s international (non-US) assets from the U.S.-based Caesars Entertainment in 2021.

Earlier in January, the company announced that Chief Financial Officer Yariv Dafna would be stepping down after 888’s full-year results are published in March. However, in a move seen to calm investors, Dafna has reportedly been asked to stay on until the end of the calendar year.

Lord Mendelsohn commented: “The board and I take the group’s compliance responsibilities incredibly seriously. When we were alerted to issues with some of 888’s VIP customers, the board took decisive actions. We will be uncompromising in our approach to compliance as we build a strong and sustainable business.”

The company has struggled with compliance issues in recent years. In 2017 the Gambling Commission in Great Britain fined the company £7.8m for somehow letting thousands of punters who had self-excluded access their betting accounts.

In 2022, 888 caught a fine of £9.4m from the British gambling regulator for various instances of players overspending and experiencing excessive losses during the pandemic.

“Not Likely” to See License Suspended

The government of Gibraltar, where 888 is licensed stated: “The Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner, who is the gambling sector supervisor for anti-money laundering in Gibraltar, has been notified by 888 of the matters that are now subject to the public disclosure and is monitoring development.

“The gambling commissioner will be reviewing and discussing the outcome of the internal investigation in due course. Relevant customer accounts have been suspended whilst that internal investigation is carried out and 888 have given full commitment to regulatory transparency in respect of this matter.

“It is too early to say what the regulatory outcome will be, but on the known facts, and because of the level of commitment to resolution, license suspension or revocation, is highly unlikely.”

888 was founded by brothers Avi and Aaron Shaked and brothers Shay and Ron Ben-Yitzhak in 1997. The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2006. 888 has its headquarters in Gibraltar. Following the acquisition of William Hill the company now employs about 12,000 people worldwide.

Source: Shares in 888 fall as it removes CEO and suspends Middle East VIP accounts, The Guardian, January 30, 2023

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