Irish Bookmakers Association opposes calls for ban on lottery betting
The IBA has pushed back against criticism of from FDJ United’s Premier Lotteries Ireland.
Ireland.- The Irish Bookmakers Association (IBA) has pushed back against calls for a ban on lottery betting in Ireland. The Irish National Lottery operator, FDJ United’s Premier Lotteries Ireland, recently called for action, estimating that lottery betting is costing it around €289m a year in lost ticket sales.
The lottery operator says it could have directed an extra €81m to community initiatives in areas such as sport and the arts in 2024 if customers hadn’t been able to place bets on the lottery via bookmakers instead of buying official tickets.
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Charity lottery operators have backed its call for either legislative or regulatory action to close this grey area as the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) takes over oversight of the sector. The GRAI has started taking applications the first new Irish gambling licences,
However, the IBA rejects the criticism and is calling for a balanced approach that recognises that lottery betting is well established. Chairperson Sharon Byrne said in a statement: “We fundamentally disagree with the National Lottery’s argument. Our customers have been betting on lotteries with their local bookmaker for over 30 years now. Betting on the outcome of a lottery is no different to betting on the outcome of any event, and it’s an established product for many shops, which are already facing new rules and regulations under the upcoming licensing regime.”
The new regulations introduced under the Irish Gambling Regulation Act 2024 include advertising restrictions and a new Social Impact Fund to support programmes tackling gambling-related harm.
