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Up to 40,000 people in Northern Ireland may have a gambling problem, according to a submission by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to a public consultation on the regulation of gambling in. Regulation of Gambling in Northern Ireland 12 Work is currently under way to modernise the law in the Republic of Ireland; in March 2019 the Minister of State with special responsibility for. These Regulations revoke and replace the Gaming (Bingo) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 (“the 1987 Regulations”) with effect from 1st August 2003. Regulation 2 prescribes: (a) £10 per day as the maximum amount a person may be charged for admission to bingo club premises;. Northern Ireland has agreed upon a public consultation which will begin looking into the rules on gambling regulations. The idea is to look more closely into the laws that govern gambling and figure out how to better apply these rules to the current gambling services operating within the country. The Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 12 December 2020. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
As bookies reopen their doors today, a poll reveals more than 90 per cent of people want online gambling stakes and prizes limited, with almost universal support for betting companies to contribute to addiction treatment.
The research was carried out on behalf of social policy charity CARE NI which is campaigning for gambling law change.
The mainstream Christian charity provides lobbies 'to bring Christian insight and experience to matters of public policy and practical caring initiatives'.
Northern Ireland's gambling legislation dates back to 1985 and critics argue it is not in line with with the digital age.
According to the Department for Communities' own 2017 research the north has a problem gambling prevalence rate of 2.3 per cent - more than four times higher than England where it stands at 0.5 per cent. In Scotland the figure is 0.7 per cent and in Wales 1.1 per cent.
The department held a public consultation last year on the issue, but the final report has not yet been published.
When polling company LucidTalk asked what best described their position, 92 per cent said maximum stakes and prizes online should be regulated by law, with only eight per cent saying there should be no limit.
Meanwhile, 90 per cent either strongly support (68 per cent) or support (22 per cent) the idea of a mandatory levy for gambling firms, while just five per cent were either strongly opposed or opposed to the idea of the levy.
There were 1,878 responses to the survey.
It has been suggested such charges are used to fund treatment of those with gambling addictions and for further research into the causes of problem gambling.
CARE NI, which provides the Secretariat to the new All-Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling at Stormont, today urged the NI Executive to prioritise addressing gambling law reforms.
Public policy officer, Mark Baillie described current laws as 'hopelessly out of date and belong to a different era where online gambling didn't exist'.
'Times have changed and the recent lockdown here in Northern Ireland has only increased the pressure on people with gambling addictions.
'The uncomfortable truth is that Northern Ireland has a real problem with gambling related harms and this means it’s all the more urgent to reform our current laws.
'This polling very clearly shows doing so would be hugely popular with the general population with the clear majority supportive on stake and prize limits on online games regulated by law and a mandatory levy on betting firms.
'CARE NI responded to the Department of Communities consultation on problem gambling and we look forward to the results being published soon.
'Our politicians must make this issue a priority and address the exploitation of vulnerable people thanks to a poorly regulated gambling industry.'
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Click here to view this briefing in PDF format.
The “Regulation of Gambling in Northern Ireland Consultation” document (the “NI Consultation”) was published in order to gauge public opinion on a wide range of gambling legislative and regulatory issues, the underlying purpose being to determine whether and where reform is necessary (particularly in the eyes of those working within the gambling industry) to bring the Northern Irish legislative regime into line with advances in the modern industry.
Click here to view the Consultation in PDF format.
Current Legislative Position in Northern Ireland
Gambling Regulation Northern Ireland Uk
The primary legislation in Northern Ireland in respect of gambling is found in “The Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985” (the “1985 Order”). It is modelled after the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963, the Gaming Act 1968 and the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976, which were the key statutes as regards gambling in Great Britain (“GB”) prior to 2005.
The Gambling Act 2005 did however serve to modernise gambling laws in GB, replacing somewhat archaic laws which were not suitable for the demands of, or advances in, the gambling industry in modern day GB.
Gambling in Northern Ireland has also evolved since the 1985 Order, yet (unlike GB) no such legislative reform has taken place. This has left Northern Ireland with a regime described by the Stormont “All Party Group” tasked with reviewing this area as being “hopelessly out of date” in the internet age.
The NI Consultation
The NI Consultation addressed a wide base of issues related to three overarching themes:
- The Future of Gambling in Northern Ireland: this addressed whether some forms of gambling which are permitted elsewhere, but not in Northern Ireland, should be permitted and regulated. Examples of issues raised included: whether casinos should be permitted to operate in Northern Ireland; whether premises which are licensed to sell alcohol and registered clubs should be able to offer poker, bingo and other equal chance gaming; and should promotional prize competitions and draws be permitted in Northern Ireland, similar to that in GB;
- Sector Specific Issues: this addressed specific issues in the core areas of gambling that the 1985 Order applies to, namely: betting; commercial bingo clubs; gaming machines; and lotteries (other than the National lottery). Ultimately the Consultation raised the question of whether the law in these areas should be amended to bring things more into line with GB, for example: should those who cheat at gambling commit an offence, regardless of the success of the outcome?; should the sale of lottery tickets over the internet be permitted?; and should higher stakes and prizes jackpot machines be permitted in bookmaking offices, bingo clubs and amusement arcades where entry is restricted to those aged 18 and over?
- Licensing, Enforcement and Regulation: the current licensing and enforcement arrangements were considered. Most notably it was queried whether the PSNI is the most appropriate agency to enforce gambling law and whether an altogether new regulator should be established to oversee the gambling in Northern Ireland (as in GB).
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Response to the NI Consultation and Looking Ahead
By way of example of the responses received to the questions posed by the NI Consultation:
- 63% of responses were in favour of the introduction of land based casinos in Northern Ireland;
- 66% of responses were in favour of bookmakers and betting shops opening on a Sunday;
- 93% of responses were in favour of the introduction of a new regulatory body to oversee gambling legislation; and
- 97% of responses wanted to see focus on research/education/treatment in respect of those affected by gambling addiction.
Click here to view NI Consultation response summary tables in PDF format.
Whilst there has therefore been varying levels of support for reform in the different areas covered by the NI Consultation, it is absolutely clear that change is being called for by those within the gambling industry in Northern Ireland.
Gambling laws could of course be developed to mirror that of GB and Ireland, giving Northern Ireland legislation an outlook that is more reflective of the state of gambling in Northern Ireland today. However, the political and religious sensitivities in Northern Ireland cannot be ignored and will be factored into any decisions taken by the legislators in Northern Ireland – making the timing of any reform difficult to predict.
Current Legislative Position in Ireland
The law in Ireland on gaming and lotteries changed on 1 December when the Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 2019 (the “2019 Act”) came into effect. Among other things, the 2019 Act updates the significantly outdated prize and stake limits under the current legislation, and introduces a standardised minimum age of 18 for all forms of betting. (See our briefing on the 2019 Act here.) (For a high level overview of gambling regulation in Ireland, see our contribution to the Practical Law Guide: “Gaming in Ireland”, which is accessible here.)
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If you have any specific queries in relation to the NI Consultation or would generally like to discuss the gambling laws in the UK or Ireland, please do not hesitate to contact our betting and gaming team.