Niall Blaney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this debate on lottery betting. This Bill is well-intentioned and I support its spirit. The regulation of betting must be carefully managed. Betting cannot be allowed to get out of hand. I have some concerns that I wish to express on behalf of a colleague, Senator Crowe, who cannot be here today. I told him I would pass his wishes to the House. He has fears around some of the matters that are being conflated without a thorough examination. It is his understanding that the product offered by bookmakers on lottery betting is separate and distinct from that which the national lottery operates, with consumers having the option to bet anything from one number to five numbers emerging from a draw. It is to allow people to enjoy the option to bet on fewer numbers as this clearly increases their chances of winning. This is not a facility provided by the national lottery.

There also seems to be a separation in the target market between those who buy national lottery tickets and those who make bets on the outcomes through external bookmakers. Bets are placed in licensed premises, which only adults can enter. That is as opposed to the lottery being accessible in shops and petrol stations, which may be frequented by minors. Bets can also be placed at a lower amount than the minimum stipulated by the national lottery.

The national lottery licence was sold in 2013 for a period of 20 years under the market conditions of the time. Since then, it has moved from 45 to 47 numbers, further reducing the chances of winning. The jackpot is now at the second-highest figure ever recorded. When it was sold, bookmakers offered these markets, as they had done for decades, allowing for more chances to win for those who wished to participate in the betting market.

I acknowledge that the national lottery generated €245 million in funding for good causes throughout Ireland last year, with that contribution amounting to more than €6 billion since 1997. However, it seems concerning that the landscape could be altered for private operators who provide gambling products and, in effect, a monopoly could be created in favour of one operator. This is especially true where the operator caters to different target markets. It is worth noting that the bookmakers support thousands of jobs across the country and paid approximately €100 million in betting duty in 2019. Removing the private betting market would, in all likelihood, not have a significant effect on the income of the national lottery, as there are no guarantees that those who would be prevented from betting on the national lottery in bookmakers would switch to buying lottery tickets.

When this matter first arose in 2019, the then Government opposed this proposal on the advice of the Attorney General. The then Minister of State, Deputy David Stanton, indicated that it could lead to further demands on the national lottery, perhaps at the expense of local lotteries that support sports clubs and community organisations. One could argue they are in direct competition with the national lottery. There is no certainty the national lottery would make further demands or prohibitions on local lotteries but we must consider unintended potential pitfalls and examine the precedent we set when questions like these come up for debate.

The Bill is well-intentioned but it attempts to make a direct link between those who spend their money buying national lottery tickets and those who bet on the outcome in external markets. I find these to be two different practices with varying methods of betting. Limiting the ability of one group to bet on the outcome will not necessarily divert the money being spent to the other. Of course, there is overlap between the two groups but this Bill addresses some of those concerns.