Gambling arcades ban, delayed in Ireland

The Cork County Council decided to delay its plans to ban gambling arcades following legal advice.

Ireland.- The Cork County Council planned to ban gambling arcades from setting up in towns and villages but decided to delay its intentions following legal advice. Though the authorities were eager to stop gambling arcade applications from being filed, they will have to wait as they assess how to proceed.

Municipal councillors from Charleville and Fermoy are determined to strengthen legal framework that was first used in the 1980s to ban gaming arcades in the area. However, they’ll further look into the local regulations as legal advice they received resulted “… in more questions than answers.”

“We want to keep these gaming arcades out of Fermoy and other towns in the future. People don’t want them,” Fine Gael councillor Noel McCarthy said, adding: “Waiting this long is totally unacceptable.”

Municipal district council chairwoman June Murphy agreed with Mr McCarthy: “While we’re waiting on this these companies are putting further applications in.” However, council officials said that “due diligence is needed” and after that they would be able to make a proper decision on the ban.