Scottish footballers bet on games in “practically every resort”, despite the risk of punishment, says a player from SPFL (Scottish league).

Soccer players bet on the dressing room

Hamilton Academical head coach Brian Rice is facing charges from the Scottish Federation after a relapse in his gambling addiction.

Players in Scotland are prohibited from betting on any game in any country, but some of them even bet on how they will see a card in that game, for example, said the anonymous player.

“There are players betting on just about every resort,” he said.

“I’ve heard reports of players betting on their own team to win. But players betting against themselves? Not so much. I’ve heard of some betting on this yellow card scenario. ”

“We are talking about 4 or 5 guys who wouldn’t, which proves how bad this is.”

‘Players continue to go to bookmakers’

Bookmakers sponsor the 3 major senior men’s football leagues in Scotland, although these 3 contracts expire at the end of this season. Several Scottish clubs also have bookmakers as their main jersey sponsorship.

After Rice’s admission, football officials were reportedly pressured to review such sponsorships.

“It must be difficult to see all that publicity when you really have a problem,” said the player.

“Some use accounts from their wives or parents. They can also enter bookmakers. As long as they’re going to bet, as long as no one recognizes them, it’s easy. I used to go to these houses most weeks.

If it is not at the highest level, it is unlikely to go wrong.

“It is possible to see some boys getting into trouble. I would say that some of them have gambling problems.

“I looked at my bank account balance one day and those huge amounts coming in and going straight into a betting account. It is so easy. Maybe they are smaller bets, but it is a constant flow. ”

“Maybe he looked at it and it scared me. It has certainly been a problem for me in the past. I just want to help others who are going through this. ”

The player explained that there is support from PFA Scotland, which meets with players during the season to remind them of the rules of the Scottish association.

Several players have been punished for breaking these regulations recently, with some of them claiming that they had not realized that they could not bet on any football game.

“They are almost begging players to stop,” said the player about the union.

“Sometimes the younger guys see the others gambling and maybe they are tempted. They need to try and give examples where they were helpful and helped players in trouble instead of just serving to punish.

“Someone gets caught, there is a stir because of that, maybe the people slow down a little and then maybe one later everything is back to normal.”