Scottish football is facing it’s most serious ever match fixing allegations.
In recent seasons Ian Black and Brian Rice have served suspensions for betting on football matches but according to the Sunday Post an SPFL Premiership coach has been arrested with investigations into match fixing centred on eight players and staff members.
The spotlight on gambling issues in society has resulted in legislation being brought in by the UK government with Ladbrokes and William Hill ending their sponsorship of the SPFL and Scottish Cup at the end of this season.
The front page of the Sunday Post reports:
It is understood the inquiry team are looking at the alleged involvement of up to eight players and staff members in betting involving the Premiership club.
Officers at the Scottish Crime Campus at Gartcosh, Lanarkshire, where Police Scotland’s specialist squads, including fraud, money laundering and serious crime, are based, are leading the inquiry into bets made on specific events in games such as the timing of a booking.
Current rules ban players from betting on football and police can become involved where an allegation of fraud is raised, when a player might benefit financially from a bet he can influence, for example.
The case comes amid growing concern around issues related to gambling within football and over the sponsorship role played by major betting firms.
Police Scotland said: “A man was arrested on February 28 in connection with a reported incident relating to gambling in sport. He has been released pending further inquiries.”
Black was found guilty of betting in one match that he was involved in with Rice betting on football matches in obscure overseas leagues.
Trying to fix the outcome of a football match involving 28 players is almost impossible but there are so many markets available to gamble on that certain aspects of any match could be influenced.
Although the Sunday Post is now on the margins of media coverage the prominence that they give the story should force the SPFL into making a statement.
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