James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Senators for their contributions. The House is very much united in attacking the scourge of gambling and gambling addiction.

Senator O'Loughlin rightly pointed out that a key difference with this addiction compared with others that are every bit as devastating is that we can see the downward trend in people who have a drug or drink addiction. With gambling, the first time people often know that a partner or a loved one in the family has this addiction is when the sheriff is at the door, when there is a letter from the bank or when gardaí arrive to say that a family member has been involved in criminal activity or, even worse, that someone has taken their own life as a result of the stresses they put themselves under because of a gambling addiction.

Senator Malcolm Byrne rightly pointed out that was a major issue even as far back as the 2007 general election. Our laws date right back to 1956. What we now have, effectively, is analogue laws in respect of a digital world of gambling. It is not that long ago there were serious debates about a proposal to put a casino in Tipperary and the impact that would have on our society. Now, as Senator Buttimer pointed out, every ten-year-old is effectively going around with a casino in their back pocket. That is how dramatically the gambling situation has changed, even in the last ten years alone.

Senator Wall rightly pointed to the blurring of the lines between sport and gambling. In some cases, sport has almost become a means to an end, which is gambling itself. The whole purpose of sport is being lost.That has happened, especially in certain sports. We saw the proposals for the breakaway league in soccer during the week and how greed and corporates have completely taken over the sport. Senator Ward touched on how gambling used to be about independent bookies and small companies but it is now big business and big corporations. He pointed to the campaigning by Senator Joe O'Reilly and how passionate the Senator been over many years, raising issues around betting limits and ending free bets and special odds that encourage people to continuing gambling when they are trying to get out as well as the need for interventions to tackle advertising.

Senator Pauline O'Reilly made the important point that the primary remit of the gambling regulator will be public safety and well-being. It will not simply regulate the industry but will do so from the point of view of public health, which is critical.

One reason for delays in this area has been the speed with which gambling has changed. The new scheme to be published in the summer is an update to the 2013 scheme but also a radical change from it. This was necessary because of the changes in the area of online gambling. We have seen the impact of that during the pandemic in particular.

Senator Cassells spoke passionately of how the gambling industry is given free reign to wreck people's lives. We cannot deny that it is the wild west out there at the moment with our gambling laws. They are simply not fit for purpose, which is why I am determined to have them changed.

Senator Seery Kearney pointed out that more and more women are becoming addicted to gambling because of its availability online and on their phones. Traditionally, not many women visited the bookmaker's office. There is no gender distinction that makes one person more addicted than another. Gambling was just more of a tradition among men. Senator Cassells is completely right that we have a social duty of care.

Senator Buttimer referred to the work done in this area by Deputy Stanton when he was a Minister of State and Senators McGreehan and Murphy also made very important points.

When I was appointed Minister of State with responsibility for law reform, gambling reform was the key piece I wanted to get done because it had been talked about for so long. It has been discussed for decades but has not occurred for various reasons, which I will not get into. I was not in government before last summer but I am here now. I set targets in the autumn and we are still on target to publish the scheme in the summer, advertise the CEO designate as a gambling regulator during the third quarter and make the appointment by the end of the year.

I must address Senator Higgins who may not have been listening to my opening remarks. The regulator will be appointed this year, not in 2023. The reason we are appointing a regulator this year and not at the end of the process is to ensure the staff, offices, equipment and so on that are needed are in place when the legislation is passed by these Houses and signed by the President. The regulator will then be able to kick off with what it needs to do on the same evening. When we say operational we mean the regulator will be ready to hit the "Go" button the minute the legislation is passed and signed by the President.