Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I pay tribute to the Minister of State for his tenacity in sticking with the legislation and doing the right thing. I also pay tribute to his officials for producing a very comprehensive Bill.

The Bill is multifaceted. Its big objective is to establish a gambling authority and place the gambling regulator on a statutory footing. The Bill also establishes a social fund and goes through various regulatory matters.

We cannot stress often enough the perniciousness of gambling. It results in family breakdown, financial crises, depression, suicide and a range of mental health issues. The number of people who gamble in this country is frightening: 49% of the population gamble. Obviously, that percentage is a continuum from the small flutter by the bingo goer, described by my colleague, up to problematic individuals. The problematic individuals are, as the Minister of State has said, 3% of the population, which equates to about 100,000 people.

Anyone who has any doubt about the horrible nature of gambling and its awfully addictive qualities should read, and I commend to anyone who has the slightest doubt and anyone with an interest in general affairs to read, a book called Tony 10 by Tony O’Reilly. He is from Carlow town, he was a postman and he became a post office manager based in Wexford. He gambled €10 million and lost it all. His book is called Tony 10 because ten was his number with Paddy Power. It is a very serious and frightening read. I held an online seminar on gambling some months ago and invited him to be the guest speaker. You would not be well after listening to him as his experiences were seriously scary. His family life broke down and everything. Gamblers are in an insidious grip of addiction that knows no bounds, and it is our responsibility as lawmakers to deal with it.

Gambling is very problematic in rural Ireland where community bonds are strong and social spaces are scarce. Gambling establishments frequently serve as gathering places for many people. However, beneath the veneer of camaraderie there is a darker reality. These establishments frequently prey on vulnerable people, enticing them with the promise of quick riches while trapping them in a cycle of debt and despair. The proliferation of free bets and other predatory tactics employed by gambling licence holders exacerbates the problem by bringing unsuspecting outsiders into the web of addiction.

The proliferation of online gambling platforms, particularly through Covid, has created a new frontier of danger, especially for our youth, because that is the way they operate. Children with easy access to smartphones and the Internet are increasingly susceptible to the allure of online gambling. It is anonymous, easily accessible and fosters addiction with disastrous consequences. As I said in an informal conversation with a colleague here earlier, gambling is unlike other addictions in that it does not become visible until all the harm is done, which is a real issue. The chronic culture of gambling permeates every facet of society.

Having outlined all that, I will turn to the Bill. One big aspect is credit cards, and I ask the Minister of State to clarify where we stand on the use of credit cards. As my colleague Senator Wall said so eloquently, it is tragic that somebody would gamble their own money but it would be shocking that they might borrow potential family income to do it, so the credit card issue is important.On-site ATMs at gambling venues cannot be used. That is also important.

It is great that the Bill provides that there will not be credit for customers. This measure is critical in preventing people from falling into the trap of debt-fuelled gambling, which is where many have fallen. Mr. Tony O'Reilly, Mr. Oisín McConville and everyone else who goes public on this issue point to the fact that they could accumulate debts. This is a common-sense provision that will shield individuals and businesses.

Importantly, the Bill addresses gambling advertising. If I understand the Bill correctly, there will be no social media advertising and, between the hours of 5.30 a.m. and 9 p.m., no radio or television advertising. These are critical provisions. Children and young people should not be exposed to that kind of gambling advertising. In fact, it is questionable whether such advertising should be allowed after 9 p.m. either.

The Bill simplifies the process for applying for gambling licences, allowing legitimate operators to access the market while weeding out predatory entities. Despite this, charitable organisations will be able to run their raffles and fundraisers and continue their good work in their communities, so let us get rid of that red herring. It is a nonsense to suggest the contrary.

Together, these measures mark a significant step. The blocking of online illegal gambling is important. The provisions relating to advertising to children and gambling advertising on all social media more generally, sporting events sponsored by gambling companies, limiting lodgements, and monitoring and intervening as people’s problem gambling develops are important. It is difficult to address the Bill comprehensively in such a short time, but I welcome it. Will the Minister of State address the issue of credit cards? This Bill is a credit to him and the Department. We should have been doing this ten years ago, but better late than never.