Ireland must emulate Belgium on gambling ads ban

Ireland is considering following Belgium’s lead in passing a ban on gambling advertisements, which is expected to impact various media outlets and limit opportunities for companies to operate in the industry.

Ireland has been discussing whether the prevalence of gambling in the country has gone too far. Senator Mark Wall, the sports spokesperson for the Labor Party, has cited Belgium as a positive model that Ireland should emulate.

Two years ago, the senator proposed a bill in Ireland aimed at prohibiting all gambling advertisements. The purpose of this bill was to safeguard individuals with gambling addiction and put a stop to gambling companies exploiting vulnerable and young individuals.

According to Wall, Belgium has made a courageous decision to ban all gambling advertisements starting from July of this year, recognising the detrimental impact of such ads on individuals vulnerable to gambling addiction. Senator Wall believes that Ireland should also take this step.

“In recognition of the harm caused by advertising to those at risk of gambling addiction, Belgium has taken the brave move to ban all gambling ads from July of this year. Ireland must follow suit.

“Government had an opportunity to be a real leader in this space by working with the Labour Party and introducing our legislation that would do the same here.

“From the moment we get up in the morning to the moment we go to sleep at night, the gambling companies know they have us in their grip. You can’t look at a video on YouTube without being directed to gamble, you can’t use a free app on your phone without facing these ads.”

The Senator maintains that the gambling industry is actively promoting the notion that sports and gambling are inseparable, using subtle associations to potentially lure vulnerable individuals into addiction. The politician strongly believes that the current extent of gambling prevalence necessitates stricter measures. He draws a comparison to tobacco, emphasizing that time is running out to take action.

“The gambling industry has worked hard to create a strong link in our minds between major sports events and betting. Problem gambling is a behavioral addiction which is what these ads feed off of. These ads are pushing people to gamble and there are no controls in place to protect those who are vulnerable to addiction.

“The level of addiction and affliction in communities up and down this country demands serious action. We had this argument around tobacco. Time is ticking. Let’s follow the Belgian lead and ban gambling ads in Ireland.”

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