Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the action launched by US law enforcement authorities under its Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, 2006. Internet gaming, including internet poker, is not licensed in the State, therefore none of the gaming sites mentioned by the Deputy can claim to have any authorisation from the State to provide services to jurisdictions where such gaming is prohibited. I understand the sites in question have licences granted by other jurisdictions. I also understand that a company which is located in this jurisdiction, having moved here in 2006, and which is linked to one of the sites mentioned by the Deputy, provides information technology, marketing and business support services to the on-line poker market. These are not areas that come within the ambit of the Gaming and Lotteries Acts, 1956 - 2003.

I realise that our gambling laws are not capable of meeting the challenges of the internet age. However, the Deputy will appreciate that because the previous Government declined to adopt a policy on gambling, arising from the review being undertaken from within my Department, it now falls to me to consider what are the best choices in terms of settling a revised regulatory architecture for gambling into the future. Any legislative proposals arising from my examination and subsequent discussions at Cabinet, will follow in the normal course.