Why Ireland Considers Gambling Ad Ban – Gaming Bill 2021 on the Way

Gambling has been around in Ireland for centuries. And as we know, with any form of wagering comes the advertising of the game. So, for the last many, many decades we have seen ads promoting horse races, land-based casinos, online wagering platforms, and so on. But as for now, it looks like that the industry is facing some changes on the way, thanks to the Irish Labour Party. Here is why Ireland considers gambling ad ban.

The Irish have been regulating their gambling industry since the 18th century. Firstly, they have a rich cultural history regarding horse racing. Secondly, they are also famous for their special attitude towards land-based casinos: they do not allow them, but there is a loophole in the regulations. If you establish a private members’ club, you can have gaming facilities for your customers. The government regulates the field with numerous Betting Acts, Gaming and Lotteries Acts, Lottery Acts, Finance Acts, and so on. But so far, it has not controlled one sector-specific segment: ads. Not it is about to change, and here is why Ireland considers gambling ad ban.

Gaming Bill 2021 on the way

The Irish Labour Party believes that not everyone in the country benefits from the industry’s advertising methods. This is why the party proposed some changes in the field, starting with the Gambling (Prohibition of Advertising) Bill 2021. If the bill gets its way, it will prohibit all betting advertising, except for sponsorships. The Labour Party that is the most in favor of the new ruling is not the controlling party at the moment. But it does not mean that the initiative cannot get its way. According to CalvinAyre, the bill is already getting some support from the other parties as well. For instance, Frankie Feighan, the Minister for Public Health, Well Being and National Drugs Strategy also approves it. Although, he acknowledged that he has to look into the details of the bill.

Why Ireland considers gambling ad ban

The basic concept of the above-mentioned bill is to eliminate the presence of gambling in several areas, like politics, entertainment, and of course, sports. We have seen the same thing happening in the United Kingdom, where they are planning to ban gambling logos on football players’ shirts. The Labour Party’s spokesperson of sport, Mark Wall outlined their most important concern. “Gambling addiction is a silent scourge across the nation, which is why the Labour Party has published legislation to address this national problem.” His worries are backed up by simple facts: according to recent studies, the Irish are one of the biggest gambling-spenders. Moreover, 75.4% of all broadcasts are already showing gambling advertisements. And with the headway of online gambling sites in Ireland, like Unique Casino, and expanding mobile options, their worries arise.

Why is it a good thing that Ireland considers gambling ad ban

Firstly, the local regulation of the gambling industry in Ireland is not proper. Secondly, the difficult times of the past year could make the Irish gamble more. These can be the reasons for very high per-capita spendings on gambling which can be associated with addiction. We should note, that gambling addiction is something that should be treated and not belittled. And this bill is the first, but a very important step forward to prevent more people from falling for it. All in all, this might be a bad thing for the finances of online casino sites in Ireland, such as Unique Casino, but it serves wagers all over the country.

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