Dáil debates

Wednesday, 4 December 2019

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

 

7:25 pm

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State said in his response that there is so much push-back on this issue he can only imagine what might happen when it comes to dealing with the heavy stuff. It might have been better if he had started off with the heavy stuff such as the element of gambling that is problematic and causing huge social problems, particularly within families. It would have been better if he had done that. That would entail having a proper regulator and the introduction of other limits.

The really problematic side of gambling is online, in the main, and in the privacy of people's homes where they can get rid of thousands of euro in a very short space of time with no checks and balances. There is no positive side to that whatever. It is a pity the Minister of State has not taken on that aspect of gaming and gambling. Had he set about doing that, he would have had the support of the House.

There is a lack of understanding in this regard - I do not know where it is coming from, perhaps from the Department - on the distinction between the different kinds of bingo. Some of it is charitable and some commercial but the fact that it has been operating on a non-charitable basis does not make it bad. It is a commercial operation that provides a social outlet for people who are happy to buy their few books and go along a few nights a week. It is a good social outlet for lots of people. There is an element of taking one's chance and so on but it is predominantly social. There has been a complete failure to appreciate the distinction between commercial bingo and charitable bingo for fundraising purposes, which operates on a smaller scale and what the Minister of State is doing to control the latter sounds quite reasonable. What he is not legislating for and what he does not seem to have taken into consideration is commercial bingo, which is a very big activity in the Dublin area. It operates throughout my constituency and many others, and I am sure that is also the case in other large population centres. That he has not made that distinction is the problem and he needs to do that. The Minister of State has stated that no commercial bingo is allowed in this country but why is that the case? There is commercial bingo in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK. I am not saying these operations are in any way philanthropic; they are not. It is a commercial activity and it is legitimate.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.