James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. The original plan was to ban them altogether. We then had to make some exceptions for locations such as horse racing tracks, where people may take out money to buy food or whatever the case may be. If people want to have a machine on the premises, they will need to make a separate application to the authority. The authority will then take everything into consideration. I certainly do not expect to see banklink machines - I am showing my age by calling them banklink machines - in a bookie's office or somewhere like that. However, the authority needs the capacity to allow such machines in places like horse racing tracks. The authority, the regulator, will be taking things into consideration in those circumstances. As I have said, these are the circumstances where we would expect to see them allowed but they would generally not be allowed.

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