Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We should not forget the social aspect of bingo and the difference it makes to many people's lives. It is an outlet for people one, two or three nights a week. Like Deputy Kenny, I will speak to my own understanding. At my local bingo event, and in the local bingo events around us, a set amount of money is paid out every night. In our case, it is approximately €1,300. We sometimes pay out 70% or 80% of the money collected. Sometimes we pay out 110% because, if we have a bad night or the roads are bad, the organisers are still committed to paying out that set amount. People expect that and it is paid out. I understand that organisers are given a permit to run a bingo game and that any game which pays out less than €5,000 will not be affected by the Bill. Am I right in that? It will not affect bingo games which pay out less than €5,000. Once a permit has been granted, things are fine.

The other issue is that of the jackpot but this would seldom exceed €5,000 in any event. Sometimes it is capped at a given figure. In our case, it is capped at €3,000. The Bill will not really affect this either.

Many clubs run lotteries. My understanding is that there is no issue with a normal lotto with a prize of up to €30,000. Am I right in that? A lotto prize could run on for 12 months and keep increasing. In some cases, the prize is capped at €20,000, but it can exceed that. Nothing will change for such lotteries if the prize stays under €30,000. Am I right in what I am saying?

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