A new independent Irish gambling regulator could force gambling operators to close gambling addicts’ accounts, or otherwise, impose significant fines on them under plans of the Government to tackle gambling-related harm.
According to local media reports, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charles Flanagan, is expected to present the proposal to Cabinet later today, as part of a new crackdown sought to be imposed on gambling companies. The new restraints to be imposed on operators also include some new limits to be set on gambling advertising on TV and on the Internet, as well as a chance for further casino gambling regulation.
The Fine Gael-Independents coalition has reached an agreement to impose a new gambling regulatory framework in the gambling sector of the country, as a response to the recently-unveiled Fianna Fáil bill on the same issues. As mentioned above, Mr. Flanagan is to seek more clear legislative and regulatory rules in order for the authorities to tackle problem gambling behaviour and increasing gambling addiction rates.
As Casino Guardian has previously reported, the plans for an improved gambling legislation included the establishment of an independent gambling regulator which is to be given the power to monitor betting companies in the country and impose monetary penalties on the ones which do not operate in compliance with the new legislation. The latter, on the other hand, is expected to include rules forcing gambling operators to close accounts of compulsive players in case that it can be proven that they are being generating large losses. Under the new rules, the independent regulatory body would be able to secretly pose as a problem gambler in order to check whether the rules are being implemented.
As mentioned above, the bill that is expected to be presented, will also seek regulation of the casino gambling sector, with a new licensing system and making local fixed-odds betting machines illegal.
New Gambling Legislation Set to Be Rolled Out
In spite of the fact that the new rules are set to help gambling addicts who generate massive losses on a monthly basis fuelling their gambling cravings, they are likely to face the criticism of both some gambling operators and players, claiming that the legislation would set limitations on person’s rights to choose how to spend their money.
Last week, an Irish addiction treatment centre shared its concern that problem gambling rates in the country are a lot higher than the official estimates. According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Rutland Centre Maebh Leahy, the Institute of Public Health in Ireland had used old statistics when providing its estimates for the gambling addiction rates, saying that the real number of problem gamblers was actually about three times higher than these estimates.
For some time now, local politicians, members of the public, as well as charity organisations set to help problem gamblers deal with the possible negative consequences of gambling, have warned that gambling addiction rates have been increasing in the country.
The Fine Gael gambling bill, which has been presented by the Irish Republican Party Fianna Fáil, has seen no progress for about half a decade now, so the reforms that are set to be made in the local gambling legislation are to be the first ones for a very long time.
- Author
Daniel Williams
