Dáil debates

Wednesday, 4 December 2019

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages

 

7:05 pm

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

-----and that licence continues until the jackpot is reached and paid out and then the permit will apply again. Can those groups run their daily or weekly bingo on their permit and then, if the jackpot exceeds the €5,000 combined with the amount given out in prize money, get a licence to cover that? Will they be forced to continue to operate that licence when the prize money goes back again to less than €5,000?

Deputy Martin Kenny's suggestion that we increase the threshold from 50% to 75% meets the Minister of State's objective of giving 25% to charity. None of us has an issue with that aspect of the Bill. When we return to Committee Stage, Deputy Martin Kenny will propose that the maximum which can be paid out is 75%. That will ensure the maximum amount of prize money is paid out. If the operator wants to take a bigger share for itself, so be it. In such circumstances, people will vote with their feet by going to another operator where the prize money is bigger. The 25% that goes to the charity is secured in either event.

My understanding, based on what the Minister of State has said, is that in circumstances in which the jackpot rolls over, the 75% cap we are proposing will not kick in. As I understand it, the 75% cap will apply to the money taken at the door of the bingo hall on that particular day. As Deputy Scanlon said earlier, the €100 that is put into the jackpot every week rolls over if the jackpot is not won. Such roll-over moneys cannot be seen as takings on the door or considered as part of the prize pool or pot. The Minister of State referred earlier to an operator taking money that it already has on account.

I would like clarity on the licence. It appears that if a community group falls back under the €5,000 threshold, it will revert to operating under its permit. If the Minister of State accepts Deputy Martin Kenny's proposal to increase the prize money cap from 50% to 75%, that will address the issue which has been raised with me by community groups across my local area. I hope that when we return to Committee Stage, the Minister of State will accept the amendment that will be proposed by Deputy Martin Kenny. It is a fair amendment because it deals with the two aspects of the matter that have been raised this evening.

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