ILLEGAL betting poses an increasing danger to football, with players in under-17s teams at risk of being targeted by crime syndicates that are fraudulently making millions from bookmakers, the head of the sport's governing body has warned.

Scottish Football Association (SFA) chief executive Stewart Regan said young players are particularly at risk.

Illegal gambling is a huge industry in Asia and the Far East, and Mr Regan added that everywhere games are taking place in Scotland - not just in under-17s matches, but women's games and across the leagues - betting is a growing problem.

Mr Regan's comments came as he outlined how the SFA will maintain a zero-tolerance approach to betting in football in the face of growing concerns about match fixing.

He said: "The issue is betting on matches and betting in matches is becoming a major concern across football generally.

"We should be aware of match fixing. Thankfully, at this stage, we haven't had any evidence to suggest there is match fixing in Scotland. But what we are seeing is evidence of 'activity' in the stands, where individuals from Asia are commentating on matches into laptops - and giving feedback - on everything from the Lowland League to under-17s and women's matches.

"Anywhere there is a game taking place, we're starting to see [betting] 'activity'. Whether it's legal or illegal is a matter for the authorities. But any attempt to defraud bookmakers by allowing bets to be placed before a book has been closed on a particular event has to be looked at."

He said one example could include a player who scores in an under-17s match.

Mr Regan added: "Between the goal being scored and the message being relayed through a microphone to someone in Asia - if someone is able to place a bet before the book is closed, that's fraud and something we have to take seriously. We've had examples of that in ­Scotland and it's not something we're prepared to tolerate. Through the work of David Brand, our integrity officer, and contacts at club level, we have managed to deal with a number of instances like that in the past few months.

"Match fixing could certainly happen here, of course it could. That's why we're taking a zero tolerance stance on betting in football."

He said betting on football matches was "just the thin end of the wedge," adding: "From that, there is an opportunity for people to be influenced. That can then lead to people being encouraged to do something and influence the result."

Earlier this year Rangers midfielder Ian Black, 28, was fined £7500 and given a 10-match ban, with seven of those suspended until the end of the season, after admitting to a breach of SFA regulations on football betting.

Black was accused of gambling on 160 matches over a seven-year period, including betting against his own team on three occasions.

In February, European police announced a Singapore-based syndicate had directed match fixing for at least 380 football games in Europe alone, making more than £7 million. A further 300 suspicious matches were identified, including qualifying games for the World Cup.

Last week police arrested a further 14 people in Singapore.

Jack Ross, a former player who is head of communications for the Professional Footballers Association, said: "We've been proactive on this rather than reactive because it is becoming more and more of a problem throughout world and European football.

"It is becoming more widespread not just in football but we've seen it in so many sports including cricket and snooker. If people lose faith in the unpredictability of football in Scotland they will not pay to go and watch."

Superintendent Niven Rennie, western chairman for the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (Asps), said: "We must do our utmost to ensure football maintains the level of integrity that the public expect."

Interview: Sport