Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to specifically speak to amendment No. 37, which proposes to insert a new subsection (4) into section 2 to amend the definition, or rather, to make reference to the definition of a "relevant payment", specifically in paragraph (c) of that definition. This is important, because in the course of the amendments to the Bill, there is reference to bingo-type offerings and games. Amendment No. 340 specifically refers to the limits on the amounts of money that can be spent on tickets and books of tickets for bingo. The proposed insertion of the new subsection (4) into section 2 also makes also refers to the word "bingo". Specifically, the new subsection (4) would exclude bingo. Amendment No. 37 seeks to insert the following:

A reference to a payment made to participate in a lottery in paragraph (c) of the definition of “relevant payment” includes, in the case of bingo, a reference to a payment made to purchase a ticket, or a book of tickets where the tickets in the book cannot be sold separately, to participate in bingo.

I do not have a difficulty with the amendment itself but I do have a difficulty with the fact that there is no definition of "bingo" in the legislation, either in the Bill as it is now or in any of the amendments the Government is bringing forward. That could potentially create a problem. How do we distinguish bingo from any other type of gaming operation, lottery or whatever it might be? It is interesting that when the heads of Bill that were created for the gambling control Bill 2013, a definition was proposed by the State at that point. I think the definition is probably incomplete, but it proposed:

“bingo” means a game where players mark off numbers on cards or screens (whether or not they pay an amount before the game commences) as the numbers are drawn randomly, the winner being the first to mark off all the numbers on the card or screen that are required to win, and it includes any version of that game, by whatever name called, including the playing of the game by electronic means or by remote communication.

That definition could be inserted into this Bill with a view to clarify the position regarding bingo. Things have been left out of that definition. For example, it only refers to numbers, and bingo can be played with letters, symbols or other devices to create commonality but the absence of any definition of bingo, either in the definitions section under section 2 or in the amendment No. 340 to Schedule 2 is potentially problematic.