Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and thank Senator Ward for bringing forward this legislation. As others have said, no legislation we bring through in Private Members' time will address every issue but it is nonetheless very important to highlight this matter and attempt to address some of the concerns. In Ireland, we have one of the highest levels of online gambling and gambling losses per capitain the world. The issue is not just with those who bet but the families who see an impact through losses in money brought home or even the loss of the roof over their heads. There is also the question of quality of life, which everybody should have.

I was listening earlier, although I could not attend the Chamber at the start of the debate. Many valuable points were raised about advertising for the national lottery. I know this as somebody who has children. The nature of gambling has changed. It is at our fingertips now more than ever. The advertisements for the national lottery are also advertising, in a way, the online betting mentioned by Senator Boylan. It is more accessible to those who may not have the funds to fork out €6. It is much easier on a phone to send a couple of euro. I have a young teenage boy and it is shocking that the rate of gambling among male teenagers in Ireland has more than doubled in the past four or five years. That is a shocking rate and we must do something about it. Gambling is another epidemic affecting our children.

Let us commend the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, on bringing forward the Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 2019, which addressed some of the concerns, particularly in trying to protect those under 18. It has not resolved everything and there is much more to do. In particular, a gambling regulator is required before the end of the year. That is in the programme for Government and there is an obligation on all of us to ensure we support that and bring it forward as soon as possible. Our children cannot wait. They have been affected by Covid-19 and the rates have probably increased during that period because our kids were at home looking at these advertisements before the watershed or the family movie. I would like to know the current rates because the figure showing they had doubled in the past four or five years is slightly out of date. We do not know what they have been over the past few months.

As a Green Party Senator, I have spoken before about how betting duty receipts go to the horse racing and greyhound industries. When people are playing the national lottery, there may be an understanding that some of the money goes towards a social dividend. I found out recently that only 30% goes to projects. I thought the amount was much higher. I was contacted by RED C as well but at the end of the conversation I was less likely to support the national lottery, which was probably not what the caller expected. The receipts go to the horse racing and greyhound industries.The greyhound industry in this country should be ended. Some of the practices are barbaric. That is another issue I would have around this funding. People do not realise what they are supporting when they are putting those bets on. I will support the Bill and I thank Senator Ward for bringing it forward.