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Last week, Ireland passed a landmark bill to help strengthen its gambling regulation and make the laws fit for the digital age. While many of the aspects of the proposal seek to make the framework better, more efficient and ensure the protection of consumers, some stakeholders are concerned with the impact the bill may have.
There’s No Evidence Suggesting Racing Is Tied to Problem Gambling
This is the case for the Association of Irish Racecourses (AIR), the representative body for all racecourses in Ireland. In a recent interview for The Irish Times, AIR’s chief executive, Paul Hensey, criticized the Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 and raised concerns regarding the bill’s “one size fits all” approach.
One of Hensey’s main concerns regarding the bill is whether or not it will be effective enough. He questioned the need for measures that may not deliver the required results while also pointing to the one-size-fits-all approach that puts racing on the same scale as iGaming, lotteries and scratch cards.
Hensey argued that lotteries, online gambling and scratch cards are associated with problem gambling but there’s no evidence that racing is. “I just wonder if there’s some one-size-fits-all rule to address this. But if you look at the research that’s there, it wouldn’t indicate that racing is one of the key contributors to problem gambling,” he explained.
“I question how effective some of these measures will be. All the research has shown that issues with problem gambling come from scratch cards, lotteries, online casinos, that sort of stuff.“
Paul Hensey, chief executive of the Association of Irish Racecourses
Draconian Measures May Push Bettors to the Black Market
Another cause of concern is the impact of the bill on Irish racing. AIR confirmed it will collaborate with Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and Racecourse Media Group (RMG), the owner of Racing TV, to help ensure the future of Irish racing, amid the changes that call for a ban on betting ads from 5 AM through 9:30 PM.
One option would be a dedicated channel for Irish racing. However, according to Hensey, this measure isn’t viable as it would separate Irish racing from “good meetings in the UK.” He elaborated further, revealing: “Any research we’ve done on betting turnover, it’s a benefit to be coming in on the heels of big races across the water and people will roll on the money. If you’re isolated, I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing either.”
The gambling bill won’t change the current media rights deal AIR has signed. In that line of thought, there’s no urgency as the proposal is likely to be implemented in 2026. However, further amendments may be required to the regulation to ensure the future of Irish racing. In that line of thought, Hensey sounded the alarm about restrictions to the sector that may push bettors to the illegal gambling market. If this happens, the sector may take a significant financial hit.
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