Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali on overcoming gambling addiction

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Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has revealed how he has overcome his addiction to gambling.

The Italian midfielder was banned for 10 months from playing football by the Italian Football Federation after breaking rules while playing in Serie A. 

However, Tonali returned to the Newcastle team in August 2024 and is in sensational form. The former AC Milan player could help the team win their first domestic trophy since 1955 if they beat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on 16 March. 

Speaking to the Italian daily newspaper la Repubblica about his struggles whilst gambling, Tonali said: “My lifestyle was negative. I was closed off from everyone and this made me change my behaviour; even with the people who loved me and whom I loved. 

“I was like that both at the training ground and at home with friends and family. Today, fortunately, I am different.”

When asked about how his addiction started, the midfield man revealed: “It became a habit when I was aged 17-18 years old. The fact it was online obscured me from everything. I closed myself off in my shell.

“I never thought I had it (gambling addiction). When a person finds themselves in a situation like this, it’s difficult to ask them if they’re sick. They’ll always say no. Even if they feel that’s not the case. They can’t think they have that problem, so they tend to hide it.” 

During the first few months of his ban, Tonali added how detached he was from everyone. He mentioned: “I realised that I was paying for what I had done, having to train every day without having the match.

“I then gave up my mobile phone for six months. Of course, it felt a sense of freedom, the sensation of being okay without it.”

Now, Tonali helps to support people who might be going through the same struggles he had. 

As part of the ban, Tonali had to complete an education programme and talk to young players in Italy about the dangers of gambling. 

When asked what advice he’d give to those who might be struggling, Tonali said: “The first step, the biggest step, is being able to talk about this huge thing you’re carrying inside of you that you’ve never done before. 

“You have this enormous sort of block and this is the biggest step to take to resolve the problem. In the first three months of my ban, I met a lot of people with ordinary jobs in Newcastle who had this problem and had never spoken about it until now. 

“They did so when it all came out when the articles came out and my problem was made public, so after this, they decided to get help and stop bottling things up, so this made me very happy.”

Tonali has featured in over 30 matches for Newcastle United in the 2024/25 season and is also capped 21 times for the Italian national side. He scored his first international goal in November 2024 when Italy beat Belgium 1-0 in Brussels. 

To learn more, visit our responsible gambling in sports betting page which also offers resources and advice on where to seek help if needed.