David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Buttimer for his further comments on this matter and for his interest and support. I have endeavoured to separate the various elements involved here. The declaration referred to is intended to let the gaming industry know that where their games involve in-game purchases, which are offers to gamble, these games would fall to be regulated under gambling legislation. Many other states share our concern in this regard. Where the games do not involve invitations to bet, they fall under the appropriate legislation dealing with the sale and-or distribution of video games. This is the Video Recordings Act 1989, under which video games are exempted works for classification purposes unless they fall within the terms provided for in section 3(1)(a) or (b), which cover the grounds for their prohibition. Ireland is part of the Pan European Game Information system, which is a Europe-wide voluntary rating system for video games.

Debate on this issue has highlighted the need to progress the modernisation of our gambling laws to ensure there is clarity and protection for all those who use gambling services. A significant amount of work has been undertaken, as I said, within Government to develop revised proposals to better reflect the required extent of the State's engagement with a modern Irish gambling environment. I am a little frustrated that we have not progressed the matter further than we have done, but it is very complex - far more complex than many of us had realised. We are working as hard as we can to bring forward this modernisation.