Date: 09.10.2024

by Sebastian Warowny

Ireland’s Gambling Regulation Bill Back On The Table

The debate on Ireland’s Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 is back and it seems many of the old arguments haven’t gone away. One of the main issues still being debated is the call for tighter controls on gambling advertising. Some senators are calling for a total ban on gambling ads and are proposing to add it as an amendment to the bill. Meanwhile the issue of bonuses is back on the table with differing opinions on whether they should be banned altogether.

Bonuses To Be Banned?

In the initial stages of the bill a full ban on bonuses was proposed but was removed during the Dáil Éireann debate in May. Deputy James Browne who was a key player in the debate argued that it would be impossible to enforce a blanket ban on all bonuses and instead proposed a ban on targeted bonuses. But as the bill is being debated in Seanad Éireann calls are now being made to reinstate a full ban on bonuses especially free bets.

Independent Senator Lynn Ruane has been calling for tougher rules. She is proposing an amendment to ban free bets and says the bill as it stands doesn’t do enough to protect players. Ruane says these types of incentives like free bets are a gateway for young people to get into gambling, citing examples from other industries where similar inducements are already banned. She points out that in Ireland’s national lottery retailers are not allowed to give away or discount tickets and similar rules apply to alcohol and tobacco sales.

Senator Mark Wall backs Senator Ruane’s call for a ban on both gambling advertising and bonuses. According to Wall the bill should prioritise the protection of vulnerable people by banning these inducements. He says eliminating free bets and similar offers would be a step towards achieving that.

Despite these calls for tighter controls Deputy Browne is still opposed to both a ban on advertising and bonuses. He says it would drive gambling to unlicensed markets which would be harder to regulate. Senator John McGahon also agrees with this view, says gambling companies would be at a huge competitive disadvantage if they couldn’t communicate directly with customers especially when other forms of entertainment are targeting the same audience.

Retailers Want Lottery Betting Banned

Another part of the debate is lottery betting with Ireland’s retail association RGDATA calling for it to be banned. According to RGDATA third party lottery betting operators are undermining the Irish National Lottery, reducing funding for good causes and taking commissions from retail agents. The association says good causes funding is being reduced by 20% every year because of this practice. Many European countries have already banned lottery betting and RGDATA is calling on the Irish government to do the same through an amendment to the bill.

The Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 which will also establish a new gambling regulator for Ireland has to go through the report stage and final statements before it becomes law. The debates and amendments show how complex the issues are as the politicians try to balance player protection and industry competitiveness.