Irish Gambling Bill: some senators still want ban on bonuses

Justice minister James Browne has rejected the calls.

Ireland.- The resumption of debate on Ireland’s Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 has revealed that many of the original disagreements are still there. While some senators are still pushing for a complete ban on gambling ads to be included as an amendment to the bill, bonuses remain another source of contention.

A complete ban on gambling bonuses was proposed in an early draft of the bill but removed during a debate in the Dáil Éireann in May after deputy James Browne said it would be impossible to ban all kinds of bonuses. Instead, he opted to prohibit targeted bonuses. However, with the bill now at the upper house, the Seanad Éireann, there are calls for the ban to be put back in.

Independent senator Lynn Ruane has proposed an amendment in a bid to ban free bets. She claims the bill as it stands it “unbalanced” in terms of safeguarding players.

She said: “These types of inducements are an entry point into gambling for young people. There are clear examples of inducements being banned in different contexts. The national lottery is not allowed to provide tickets for free or at a reduced rate; alcohol retailers are prevented from operating happy hours or loyalty card programmes; and retailers are legally prevented from supplying voucher coupons for tobacco products.” 

Senator Mark Wall, who also wants a ban on advertising, is supporting here call. She said: “For the life of me, I cannot see why the bill has to introduce free bets and inducements. We want to protect the most vulnerable. We have to do so. The only way we can protect the most vulnerable is to use this bill to ban inducements and free bets.”  

Browne remains opposed both to a ban on advertising and bonuses, which he says could benefit the unlicensed market. Senator John McGahon supports that stance. He said: “Without the ability to communicate directly with potential customers, gambling companies are left at a significant competitive disadvantage, particularly in an industry where other forms of entertainment and digital services are aggressively marketing to similar audiences,” he added.  

Meanwhile, retailers are calling for an amendment to the bill to ban lottery betting. That’s been requested by the retail association RGDATA, which says that betting on lottery results through third-party providers harms the Irish National Lottery’s funding for good causes as well as commissions for retail agents.

Lottery betting is banned in many European countries, but there is no such ban in Ireland. RGDATA estimates lottery good causes funding is reduced by around 20 per cent a year as a result.

In a letter to Paschal Donohoe, Ireland’s minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, RGDATA director general Tara Buckley wrote: “Rather than continuing to allow Ireland to be a laggard in EU terms in continuing to allow Lottery Betting, does it not make eminent sense to use the current legislative opportunity to outlaw this practice.”

The bill, which will also create a new Irish gambling regulator, must still pass through the report stage and final statements before it’s signed into law.