Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I just make this point to the Minister of State with your indulgence, a Cheann Comhairle. I will not take up much time. There is a section in the Bill which prevents advertising by electronic communication. It is the main way by which people are now advertising relevant gambling activities. As the Minister of State knows, I did considerable research into these activities for Report Stage. I left the Chamber for about half an hour. I have had three different messages from three different companies inviting me to take part in gambling activity. I am again raising the definition of "relevant content". These companies will not be allowed to advertise a gaming activity, but they will be allowed to advertise, for example, to enter a competition to win ten Oasis tickets and two nights in Dublin.

There will be tens of thousands of people who will apply for it. Under the section, as long as you have opted in - which you will do to enter the competition - and they have your mobile phone number, they can advertise as much as they wish to you on your mobile phone. That is not the intention of this Bill. It should not happen and the way to ban it is to deal with the issue of relevant content.

This Bill is important legislation but the first thing that companies will do is try to find a way around it. I am telling the Minister of State that, as somebody who operates a licence and will operate a licence under this legislation, the way to do this if I was not able to get a licence is to advertise the company and competitions that are appealing to the public, and ask them to sign up to the terms and conditions - tick the box, give me your mobile phone number and then I can text you as many times as I wish, inviting you to take part in a competition. That should not happen. In the past few minutes, I have been contacted by companies offering €60,000, €40,000 and cars from Ford, Range Rover and BMW, and there are loads of other ones. This is how-----

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