Former Minister calls for an update in gambling laws
Michael Ring TD calls for ban on outdated legislation that allows gambling to take place on underage sport in Ireland.
Ireland.- Former Minister for Sport, Michael Ring TD declared he is “appalled” by outdated legislation that allows gambling to take place on underage sport. Ring urged the government to fast-track new laws to ban the activity.
Under Ireland’s existing laws bookmakers are allowed to offer odds on games played by schoolchildren, a legal loophole that has been widely criticised in the European country. Yesterday (Thursday) an inter-county Gaelic footballer confessed that he had bet against his own team in a National League game, revealing a crippling gambling addiction he developed as a teenager.
Mr Ring said that the problem of gambling addiction in Ireland can no longer be ignored and demanded a swift and meaningful change. “We have a very serious problem out there of gambling addiction and I think legislation has to be brought in to deal with this. This legislation goes back many many years, it needs to be updated, it needs to be updated quickly,” Ring expressed.
“I don’t like it in sport, I don’t think it’s necessary in underage sport and I would like to see the legislation brought in to make sure that gambling in underage sport is not allowed,” Ring continued. “Here within the country itself it’s time that we looked at it and I have to say that I’m appalled to learn that now you can gamble on school games and underage games. That should not be allowed, particularly with the problems we have in this country in relation to gambling.”
He concluded saying the practice was “very wrong” and promising that he would be lobbying to make sure legislation is brought forward to deal with this serious issue.“I would hope that with this new Government, it’s an issue that would get cross-party support. We love our sport, we like to see clean sport in this country and there’s enough gambling going on – we shouldn’t have it at underage level,” he added.
