Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 7, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following:“Government warnings

4. The public are to be warned of the addictive nature of gambling as follows—

(a) all licensed bookmaker outlets must have on display this government warning:

“Warning: Gambling has been shown to be addictive, causing financial loss and damage to interpersonal, working and family relationships”,

(b) all betting slips/documents issued by bookmakers must carry the following warning:

“Warning: Gambling has been shown to be addictive, causing financial loss and damage to interpersonal, working and family relationships”,

(c) all on-line and electronic gambling systems (including: Internet, smartphone, interactive television and telephone) must for a period of not less than 15 seconds and before the user gains access to the gambling platform display the following notice:

“Warning: Gambling has been shown to be addictive, causing financial loss and damage to interpersonal, working and family relationships”,

(d) all advertising on billboards, television, radio and the Internet must carry the following warning:

“Warning: Gambling has been shown to be addictive, causing financial loss and damage to interpersonal, working and family relationships”.”.

I welcome the introduction of the licensing regime for online bookmakers and betting exchanges. It is widely accepted that the current legislative framework is outdated and unsuitable for the online environment in particular. I welcome the fact that section 23 of the Betting Act 1931 will be amended by section 26 of this Bill to extend the current prohibition on licensed bookmakers from taking bets from those under the age of 18. Interestingly, there have been no studies examining the prevalence of problem gambling in Ireland. We only have research from other countries to go by. There is, however, consistent evidence that the rate of problem gambling is higher among youths than in the general adult population. I am aware that the Gambling Control Bill 2013 will introduce a range of measures to promote responsible gambling and protect vulnerable persons, including children, from problem gambling but I still feel it is necessary to include in this Bill several amendments to promote socially responsible gambling and to deter persons from engaging in irresponsible gambling.

The focus of the Bill is on offences but there is no emphasis on deterrents. While the psychology of gambling and the nature of addiction are complex, a multifaceted and prominently displayed warning sign and opportunities for self-exclusion have been found to be effective particularly in the online environment. I have encountered two cases since my election to this House, one is a family that had to borrow €15,000 to pay off the debts of a son in college who got involved in gambling. I am not sure how or where he raised the money. The second was an adult who gambled away €80,000 in six weeks. The point he made was that he could wake up in the middle of the night and take his smartphone from under his pillow and run of a couple of bets. I am thrown completely offside by the thought that he spent €80,000.

There is a warning on cigarette packs to the effect that if I smoke I am likely to incur some health risk. There are notices all over the place from drinkaware advising me of the dangers of consuming too much alcohol yet I can walk into a bookmaker’s shop or use my home phone, smartphone or computer and gamble away my entire life savings and those of my family and possibly any assets I have, without any deterrent whatsoever. With all due regard to the Gambling Control Bill 2013, which will seek to introduce more severe measures I call on the Minister of State to introduce this new section into the Bill which warns the public of the addictive nature of gambling.

I have rarely felt as strongly as I feel about this matter. Thankfully I have never been involved in gambling. I would find it hard to buy a lotto ticket. I wonder why I do not win the lotto but I guess one cannot win it unless one buys the ticket. I feel if I buy one ticket I will keep on buying more tickets. It really worries me when I hear the stories of addiction. This is a silent addiction. If I am a smoker one will smell the smoke on my clothes, if I am a drinker I will more than likely fall around the place drunk at some stage and there are physical signs that I have engaged in these practices. I can be a gambler and nobody will know. I can keep this secret from my nearest and dearest. This does not only involve men as we traditionally think, it now involves women and children. There is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that problem gambling affects between 0.9% and 3.3% of people. That is a fairly substantial number.

Will the Minister of State consider inserting this section into the Bill? I will welcome his comments on it.