Brian Rice has claimed that more than 80% of Scottish footballers are gambling using accounts in other peoples’ names.
The Hamilton Accies boss has just completed a five match touchline ban after being caught betting on hundreds of football matches.
Footballers are allowed to gamble on other sports but are forbidden from betting on any football match worldwide.
In recent times there has been suggestions that players who are betting on football are afraid to own up to the problem because of the impact it would have on their careers.
Rice was asked about an amnesty to allow players to seek help but after his claim of 80-85% of players gambling on football the SFA should be stepping in and having an audit starting in the Hamilton Accies dressing room.
The Sun reports:
Asked if he backed an amnesty period within Scottish football to allow people to come forward, Rice told Lanarkshire Live Sport: “100 per cent. I know for certain there’s between 80 and 85 per cent of players in dressing rooms gambling on football under various names, other people’s names, everything. Any way to do it.
“And I think there’s a very high percentage of young kids started gambling or have been caught in the grips of gambling but are scared to come forward because of the consequences. Now these kids need help. They’re crying out for help. They want to stop but they’re afraid to stop in case they get banned, in case their name is on the front of the papers.
I put my career on the line here. I put everything on the line here to do this and I just hope it gives them the strength to come forward and ask for this help.
What Rice is saying is that in every match he is involved in eight or nine of his players are gambling on football under other names.
At present the SPFL, the League Cup and Scottish Cup are all sponsored by bookmakers.