Gambling watchdog should oversee National Lottery, Oireachtas group told

The Republic’s new gambling regulator should oversee the National Lottery along with betting businesses, politicians heard on Tuesday.

Graham Ross, Ireland country manager for Lottoland, which offers bets on the lottery and runs one of its own for charity, told the Oireachtas committee on justice that the company welcomed plans to regulate gambling. But he questioned whether it was feasible to have two regulatory frameworks, the new authority and the National Lottery operator.

“We are seeking that all operators across the entire sector will be included in the new legislation,” said Mr Ross.

The Government’s proposed Gambling Regulation Bill will create a new betting authority to supervise the industry.

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The authority will oversee licensing, sanction businesses that break regulations, supervise advertising and work on tackling problem gambling.

Mr Ross urged that the legislation include provisions requiring the proposed Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland to consult regularly with the industry.

Conor Grant, chief executive of Paddy Power parent, Flutter UK and Ireland, told the committee that the company reviewed 20,000 possible cases of problem gambling a month between the two countries.

“There are 7,000 where we take action,” he added. Mr Grant said this could involve customers limiting the amounts they bet or self-excluding themselves, where they agree that the business should no longer accept their wagers.

Chairwoman of the Irish Bookmakers' Association Sharon Byrne, which represents 750 betting shops in the Republic, 650 of them owned by Boylesports, Paddy Power and Ladbrokes, said staff were trained in cases of possible problem gambling.

She urged that the regulator prioritise gathering data on gambling addiction in the Republic to allow it tailor a response to the problem here.

Martin Le Jeune, head of UK and Ireland public affairs with Ladbroke's owner, London-listed Entain, told the committee that British research showed problem gambling declined during the 12 months to September 2021.

Problem gambling

Figures produced by the British regulator, the Gambling Commission, show that of the total number of people who bet regularly, problem gambling fell to 0.3 per cent from 0.6 per cent.

He noted that this occured during Covid lockdowns, when many assumed that problem gambling increased, aided by online betting.

Mr Le Jeune agreed that the Irish regulator should gather its own data as the experience could differ between the two jurisdictions.

Independent Senator Lynn Ruane questioned whether betting companies understood the complexities of problem gambling. She asked how these businesses could get the data allowing them to identify individuals with problems in the first place.

Senator Ruane argued that if dealing with the issue was just a question of closing accounts or having a conversation, then the addiction sector would have ended the problem years ago.