Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I commend Senator Gerard Craughwell on putting the issue on the agenda. It is a scandal that these institutions have become the fraud banks for criminals. These accounts can be opened at will and there are no questions about where the money comes from. Many of the dealings in the betting shops are in cash. Some criminals will go somewhere such as Galway city or Cork city and will float between all the different betting shops in the city centre and deal with up to €400,000 on a busy Saturday between themselves and their officials who work for them. It is very important this is dealt with.

I am annoyed that the gambling control Bill did not come in under the previous Government. The Minister of State chaired the justice committee and there was a ground-breaking report on the issue. We had witnesses from the sector and we went to Betfair to hear submissions. People from the various betting shop organisations made their case and a huge amount was raised. When people who put money on horses which turn out to be non-runners, they assume they were losers, and millions of euro is tied up in this, which we believe should go into some sort of State deposit if it is not claimed. The unclaimed small prizes also account for millions of euro in betting shops.

We badly need the gambling control Bill. I thank the Minister of State for telling us it will be progressed. It was very important that the Senator's amendment was aired and that the issues were, again, brought onto the floor of the Seanad.