Changes to Northern Ireland’s Gambling Regulations Cause Concern
Northern Ireland’s gambling regulations have been updated, though consumer protection remains an issue.
Key Facts:
- The government of Northern Ireland has made its gambling regulations more like Great Britain’s
- Some have said the update doesn’t do enough to protect consumers
- Northern Ireland has a much higher rate of problem gambling than Great Britain
Legislation has been passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly that brings its local gambling regulations in line with those of Great Britain. However, there have been concerns about consumer protection since Northern Ireland’s problem gambling is worse than Great Britain’s.
As part of the update, people in Northern Ireland can place bigger bets and win larger cash prizes than before. Also, there are some new protocols designed to protect vulnerable people from the potential harms associated with gambling. Gordon Lyons, the Communities Minister, has discussed some of these.
The rule restricts fixed-odds betting terminals to a maximum stake of £2 and a new offence for underage people who are given access to gaming machines with high-stakes. Also included in the update are measures to address online gambling problems and a levy system for land-based venues.
Criticism of the Update
When the update was proposed, some assembly members called to delay it to include better protections for vulnerable people. Despite this, the update ended up being passed without opposition.
Traditional Unionist Voice assembly member Timothy Gaston was one of the people who voiced concerns about the new changes to Northern Ireland’s gambling regulations. He pointed out that the nation’s gambling problem rate has been five times greater than that of Great Britain.
He also noted how there’s no equivalent to the new protective measures Great Britain is set to receive. These include the Gambling Levy, which is set to come into effect on 5 April and is expected to generate around £100 million annually for various gambling harm reduction initiatives.
As well as the update, the Northern Ireland Assembly has passed a similar but separate piece of legislation that puts forward a more health-based approach to services that help with gambling addiction. It would allow for a range of support systems to be more closely integrated.
Sinn Féin assembly member Philip McGuigan has said that gambling harms should be recognised as a public health issue. This should enable people to get the help they need more quickly and efficiently; it should also promote the seriousness of gambling harms and lower the number of people experiencing them.
It remains to be seen whether more protections will come. What’s clear is that efforts are constantly being made to make gambling safer for everyone. It was previously reported that NI lawmakers wanted changes to gambling ad rules to reduce exposure to vulnerable people.
This is just one example of an area lawmakers have been looking at to lower the number of people suffering negative consequences as a result of gambling. Hopefully, fewer people will suffer in the future by limiting exposure and treating harm more seriously.
