THE Ian Black betting scandal last season highlighted that players can't gamble on football.

Whether you are doing it online or in a bookies, they can't bet on their own sport ... full stop.

There are no ifs, buts or maybes. If you are caught doing it you will be punished. I can quite understand why the SFA prohibit it.

If a player bets on a game he is involved in and misses a chance, then it leaves him open to all sorts of accusations.

If you are silly enough to have an online account or go into a betting shop yourself then you deserve what you get.

So if Steve Simonsen, the Rangers keeper, is found guilty of the charges that have been levelled against him, then I will have no sympathy for him.

But I can assure you that up to half of the professionals in this country still bet on the game.

And that is a conservative estimate. They might not do it themselves. Their brothers or their pals or their girlfriends will do it for them.

But, believe me, footballers, coaches and managers all bet on football. End of.

Some players this season have actually gone on Twitter and expressed their happiness about winning a few hundred quid or whatever. It is ridiculous.

A lot of people are getting away with it. It is just seems like the higher profile players who are being done for it.

I think the football authorities have to do a little bit more to address what is a widespread problem.

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