Northern Ireland Calls for Gambling Advertising Restrictions

A United Front Against Gambling Harm

The All-Party Group, comprising representatives from Sinn Féin, the Ulster Unionist Party, the Alliance Party, the Democratic Unionist Party, and the Social Democratic and Labour Party, was formed to tackle gambling-related harm in Northern Ireland.

The group has written to Lisa Nandy, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, advocating for stricter advertising rules similar to those recently enacted in Ireland.

Lessons from Ireland’s New Legislation

Ireland’s Gambling Regulation Bill, passed last month, introduced measures to curb gambling advertising. These include a ban on advertisements between 5:30 am and 9:00 pm, the prohibition of inducements, and the creation of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann).

The letter highlights how adopting such measures could benefit not only Northern Ireland but also Britain, given the prevalence of British television across the islands.

“Such restrictions would bring significant benefits to Northern Ireland, Britain, and Ireland, where British TV is widely watched,” the letter notes.

Gaps in Northern Ireland’s Legislation

The letter also emphasizes Northern Ireland’s lag in updating its gambling legislation, pointing out that the region “stands alone as the only jurisdiction on these islands without updated gambling legislation since the advent of the internet.”

This lack of modernization, the group argues, leaves Northern Ireland exposed to the harms associated with unregulated gambling advertising.

Research Highlights Impact on Youth

A recent report from Maynooth University in Ireland and Ulster University underscores the pervasive exposure of young people to gambling marketing, particularly through televised sports and social media. This evidence further supports the group’s plea for urgent legislative action.

A Call for UK Government Intervention

Although the Assembly acknowledges that it lacks the legislative capacity to enact a Gambling Bill within the current mandate, the group has urged the UK Government to step in.

“We urge you to use your existing powers to take immediate action to restrict the promotion of gambling in the UK and reduce the harm caused by gambling across these islands,” the letter to Nandy states.