Seanad debates

Tuesday, 30 April 2013

National Lottery Bill 2012: Committee Stage

 

7:15 pm

Photo of Tom ShehanTom Shehan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree somewhat with my colleague, Senator Byrne. The Minister has referred to the possibility that the office of the lottery regulator could be enhanced to create a gambling regulator. That is a different story and it is badly needed. It occurs to me that we could set up a lottery regulator who would be paid for by the lottery company and whose biggest decisions would be to allow the lottery to bring in new games, etc. I would prefer if in some way a percentage of profits could be taken off the lottery company to run the regulator's office. This should be provided for in the legislation. Hypothetically, the lottery company could pay €1 million per year to run the regulator's office and the regulator could then determine whether the lottery company should be given three or five new games this year, next year or whenever. While I agree with an overall regulator for all gambling, I believe we should tread carefully. I am concerned that the regulator would have one job and that his job, effectively, would be to accede to requests from the lottery company to introduce new lottery games and, as we discussed previously, put gambling in people's faces.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.