Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, on the publication of the Gambling Regulation Bill. I sincerely hope that it is the beginning of our laws and regulations catching up with what has become the normalisation of gambling and its intrusiveness. We are probably all aware of the families in our communities and our friends who have been affected by gambling addiction.

Gambling is a €6 billion to €10 billion industry which has used every tactic imaginable to grow the industry. I say that as someone who has worked in advertising and understands that the nature of advertising and marketing is to grow your customer base and the value of that. We need laws and regulations that are as agile and responsive as marketing can be. I do not underestimate the challenge but I think this Bill is a very positive step to challenge it. I am especially interested in the social impact fund that is part of the Bill.

I want to mention people like the family of Lewis Keogh. His parents, Sadie and Pete, have been part of an organisation called Gambling with Lives since they lost their son, Lewis, because of gambling addiction. They have started a pilot education programme in the North for children of 11 years and over. I have seen their videos and material and it is impactful and effective. That programme or one like it should be part of our renewed social, personal and health education programme. I would ask that it be included in our debates on this Bill. It is vital that we tackle this from a young age.