Between 60 and 80 countries have reported allegations of match-fixing for each of the last three years, the head of the Interpol-FIFA initiative set up to fight the crime said.

John Abbott, who is also leading Interpol’s and FIFA’s fight against irregular betting, told delegates at the Soccerex Global Convention that far tougher legislation is needed worldwide to fight the crime.

“It is a global problem and it is showing no signs of abating.

“Match-fixing itself is not new, a Liverpool-Manchester United game was fixed in the early years of the 20th century, but the really big change is that professional criminals have got involved for fraud purposes.

“We have evidence of organised crime groups in China, Russia, the Balkans, the United States and Italy making substantial money.

Abbott claimed billions of dollars were involved, adding: “Sports governing bodies and football associations need to get real about prevention.

“Many sports, of course, are affected by match-fixing, but football, the global game, is top of the league and cricket is second.

“The extent of the problem is that each year for the last three years between 60 and 80 countries have reported allegations of match-fixing.

“We need better legislation throughout the world, but I don’t think we will ever have one global law covering match-fixing but all the authorities need to work closer with each other to stop it happening.”

We have evidence of organised crime groups in China, Russia, the Balkans, the United States and Italy making substantial money

During the same debate, entitled “Fixing Football’s Dark Side”, Emanuel Medeiros, the head of the Qatar-based International Centre for Sport Security, said at least one professional club is being run by an organised crime syndicate.

“I have evidence that this is the case but I cannot say which club or which country although these are legitimate questions,” he said.

“This not new, we have been aware of these developments since 2003.”