Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The legislation is seriously out of date, about which there is no question. The betting laws date from 1931, while those on gambling date from 1956. Increasingly, gambling is carried on by remote means and is not regulated. I agree with the Deputy that enforcement has suffered as authorities grapple with outdated laws and constant technological changes. A large and growing section of the market is unregulated, with attendant risks to consumers and a loss to the Exchequer. That is why we need new legislation and the Bill is with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for drafting. The Betting (Amendment) Bill which is going through the Houses deals with certain elements of betting. We need more comprehensive legislation to deal with the points made by the Deputy. Amending other legislation will not get us very far. We need a comprehensive scheme, which is the better approach. The Deputy is familiar with some of the provisions which will be included in the heads of the Bill.

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