Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
The Daily PollA BAN ON “all forms of advertising” by betting companies before the 9pm watershed has been recommended by the Oireachtas Justice Committee.
A report published by the committee said around 3,400 15 and 16-year-olds are “engaged in problem gambling in Ireland”.
“Stakeholders emphasised, in particular, the need for a pre-watershed ban on all forms of gambling advertising.
“They pointed out that a cultural shift had resulted in advertising on cigarettes being banned and advertising on alcohol being curtailed and recommended that the same approach be applied to gambling advertising,” the document states.
In terms of online adverts, the report notes that gambling ads are typically aimed at people over the age of 25. However, stakeholders noted “it can be challenging to prevent all websites from showing adverts to those underage”.
The report was compiled as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Gambling Regulation Bill, which is expected to pass next year.
What do you think: Should all gambling ads be banned before 9pm?
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Ban them altogether.
@Derek Murphy: this
@Derek Murphy: ^what he said
@Brian Henoll: Feels like they represent at least half of all ads you see on tv these days, especially when watching sport.
These so called responsible gaming ads are their newest approach.
I find that ad by Betfair, which mentions how many stadiums they could fill with users who use responsible gambling tools, to be quite odd as well. Do Betfair think it’s a good thing that hundreds of thousands of people have been unable to control their gambling to the point they resorted to restricting their own account access?
@Derek Murphy: Nanny State government with another rule.Sooner they are booted out the better.
@Derek Murphy: agree 100%
@Billy McNamara: This isn’t about a “nanny state” despite your clear anti government agenda. It’s about giving people a reprieve from the constant bombardment they get from a malicious industry that has consistently been shown to deliberately target problem gamblers with things like free bets.
Clearly looking at the results of this opinion poll, the public are in favour of more legislation.
Out of interest, what party do you want to replace current government once they are “booted out”?
Seems this has bipartisan support.
Some opposition party stances:
Sinn Fein https://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/61578
Labour
https://labour.ie/news/2021/04/19/labour-introduce-bill-to-ban-gambling-ads/
@Derek Murphy: Absolutely spot on. Well said.
@Derek Murphy: Sinn Fein/Labour to get rid of this inept and corrupt crowd.
@Derek Murphy: Absolutely agree.
@Derek Murphy: I couldn’t agree more. I rarely watch television but recently watched a couple of films and have noticed that every second ad seems to be for gambling. I don’t know what the gambling companies pay for television advertising but it’s obviously worth their while or they wouldn’t book all those slots. At least online we can block the most boring & repetitive ads.
@Derek Murphy: exactly
Should be banned from all platforms, especially online.
Banning gambling ads should include the Lotto.
@Greg Ward: ive i hear or see that mr blue sky lotto ad once more i may not be responsible for my actions
@Brian Dunne: It would almost put you off swimming as well!
Banned full stop
It’s hard to say if it will definitely help, but I certainly don’t see what harm it would do. Even if it helped one person with a gambling addiction…
I suspect the greater temptation is when the ads pop up on social media feeds etc – when you are already online and a click away from gambling, than those shown on tv before 9pm.
@Augustus hoop:
Agreed, I think the government should be far more aware of advertising online, it is a bit of a free for all especially in political parties on run up to elections… I would really want to see the various parties spend on that.
Does this include the lotto?
Ban them altogether
Ban them altogether, too many adverts
No i don’t think it would make a difference if your addicted to gambling i don’t think the time advertisements are shown would solve the problem
@Noel Donohue: I think it would make a difference. The same as with all the fast food advertisements. They might work on a subconscious level and might wear some people down over time. Out of sight out of mind…
@Noel Donohue: it’s to stop folk falling into the gambling trap, to be honest I’d say it’s gambling is in demise especially with the younger generation
@Jason Walsh: They prefer to throw their money away on dodgy crypto schemes. A different way of gambling, but the outcome is often the same.
@Noel Donohue: Think you are missing the point.
@Jason Walsh: Sadly that is not what their revenues say. Gambling is booming, especially with online platforms making it more accessible for people.
Gambling has been here since God was a boy but it was a social thing not as insidious and pervasive as it would is now. Ban all Gambling Ads day and night.
Good idea. Won’t make a difference. We’re being saturated with Brit television and ever second ad is for some kind of betting or funeral planning service.
Ban gambling full stop. It’s legalised theft, nothing more. Gambling companies are bottom feeders – what other industry, apart from insurance, bases its business model on taking your money and giving you nothing in return except debt? At least with cigarettes, drug dealers and booze there is an exchange of cash for goods.
The industry profits massively from addiction, pulling in 35% of its revenue from 1% of its customers, and collects so many data points on them that it is able to classify them into categories like “chasing losses”, “problem gambler” etc and uses this information to further incentivise customers to gamble.
The PR machine behind the industry is frightening – if you get a chance, watch Paul Merson’s documentary on gambling addiction. He explained how during the course of a premier league match broadcast, viewers are exposed to gambling advertisements hundreds of times, through shirt sponsors, pitchside banners, TV ads etc. The fact that we now have smartphones means that companies have access to customers in a way that they never did before, and it also makes it easier for problem gamblers to hide their addiction.
The way these companies are allowed to shape the discussion around gambling is disgusting too. A certain Irish bookmaker has managed to cultivate an image as a lad’s best friend, and that gambling is just another pastime for young men. Plastered along the bottom of their ads is “Gamble responsibly” – implying that if you develop a problem, its your fault and yours alone, despite the wealth of evidence that bookies actively incentivise problem gamblers to continue betting using well known techniques from behavioural psychology/operant conditioning like variable-reinforcement reward schedules.
When the government announced the extend hours for pubs and clubs etc. There was many comments on here saying it’s about time it happened. We’re not a nanny state we are adults we can make our own decisions on our drinking. Now the same “adults” are posting that this government nanny state ban should take place to stop people falling into the gambling trap. Unbelievable.
@Roy Dowling: If a 13 year old goes into a pub and orders a Jameson they will rightly be shown the door. If a 13 year old signs up to an online gambling site they just say they are 18 and are welcomed with open arms.
@sean o’dhubhghaill: the same 13 year old told the same lie to get on to tic toc and Facebook etc. Keeping a 13 year old from using a fake date of birth to create an account isn’t down to bookmarkers or social media it’s down to the 13 year olds parents.
@Roy Dowling: as far as addiction is concerned I think we need the Nanny State ! In the end of the day it’s the Tax payer who ends up funding all the Govn schemes to try and cure these people. It’s frightening the amount of money people can gamble away in 24 hours…destroying famies.
No form of gambling should be allowed on credit cards including the lotto !
@Barbara Coleman: Alcohol is a bigger addiction than gambling. It costs the tax payer a lot more than gambling addiction. It involves more crime than gambling addiction. It destroys more families than gambling addiction. Yet 90% of the commenters here are all for extending the opening hours off licensees and pubs and clubs etc so people can drinks more. . No more nanny state they say we are adults. A teenager is more likely to get addicted to alcohol than gambling. So it amazes me how people want to b treated like adult when it comes to a more the more addictive alcohol and then ask the state to nanny the gambling.
4.75 billion industry in Ireland, just saying
@ed w: Yes it’s a massive business, but the vast amount of money spent would be on online betting. Open to correction but not one of these sites are based in Ireland. You place a bet in the bookies you pay a tax. Wonder what is the tax situation concerning online gaming.
@ed w: What does that mean exactly? Bookies are earning 4.75 billion? It’s bringing in 4.75 billion in tax? 4.75 billion is being bet? There’s a big difference between the three…
So when RTE or Virgin are showing a racing festival they won’t be allowed to show an ad for a bookies, or have their coverage sponsored by same? Can’t really imagine that going down well. Like everything else I think a certain amount of personal responsibility is needed. If your social media feed is being bunged up by ads for bookies then instruct the app not to show them. It’s not a hard thing to do.
I would not bet on that happening, or maybe I would!.
This morning Pat Kenny had an item on Newstalk about gambling. I didn’t hear him mention the Newstalk Cash Machine, which in my view is gambling.
Why does this question have “before 9pm” in it?
All gambling advertising on any medium should be banned totally. Broadcasting, print, billboards, online – the whole works, including foreign media. Gambling itself should be banned – it’s destructive.
The whole idea of the Watershed is outdated. Anyone who thinks 15 to 16 year olds aren’t watching television after nine o’clock is living in the 1950s… It’s either a no ban or banning it altogether.
I always laugh at how every now and again on the last word matt Cooper will have a segment about gambling and the evils of it. Yet every evening gives out a cash amount for ppl to gamble as simply as sending a text.
… and what 15 or 16 year olds are watching TV these days? It’s all tik tok, youtube, etc
how can it work when sport goes beyond 9pm? e.g. Football & Snooker are both hugely backed by gambling companies. Sport itself has to ban sponsorship for a start.
Completely ban this sh…
Please stop newstalk gambling.
How would it work for those competitions on the radio? Would they be banned? How can they tell us about the competition without advertising it?
This predatory industry is an absolute disgrace. It’s very simple to reduce harm, ban all the advertising outright like others said exactly what they did with cigarettes. But more importantly than that DO AFFORDABILITY CHECKS on all new customers and actually verify the age of new customers not wait until they are looking to make a withdrawal and little Danny has wiped out mammy and daddy’s credit cards. They only look for bank statements until the “loyal” customers are clearly chasing losses and gambling compulsively and even then with a couple of white lies they are happy to let you continue losing your stones online. No idea how something hasn’t been done about it. The addiction has the highest suicide rate of them all and is the one which definitely doesn’t discriminate or is as progressive as some. It takes people by the throat and shakes them for everything sometimes within mere months. Yet absolutely nothing done about it year on year off
Most apps make you subscribe to get rid of the irritating ads but I have’t succumbed to subscribing so far!
have your say