Victory for Donegal charities and sporting organisations as Sinn Féin force u-turn

Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty has welcomed the passage of the Gambling Bill, adding that the final bill represented a victory for Donegal charities and sporting bodies.

Sinn Féin pressure forced the government to u-turn on wording that would have prevented sports clubs and charitable organisations from raising necessary funds.

The Bill establishes a comprehensive legal, regulatory and licensing framework for all forms of gambling in Ireland. All gambling operators offering any type of gambling activities to Irish customers – including gaming, betting and lotteries – will require an Irish B2C licence, with specific forms of licences for charitable and non-profit organisations such as sports clubs which have traditionally relied on such activities for fundraising.

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“Sinn Féin supported the passage of the bill in its final form, having importantly forced the government to amend its position on charitable and sporting fundraising,” Teachta Doherty said.

“The original wording would have been disastrous for Donegal sports clubs and charities as it conflated fundraising with gambling, which would have cost such organisations thousands of euros in necessary fundraising.

“Despite the government’s attempts to criticise our amendments aimed at addressing the concerns of sporting bodies and the charity sector, our perseverance in insisting that they be addressed has been vindicated in the final wording of the bill.

“It is a victory for those organisations and their perseverance, however, the reality is that we shouldn’t have had to drag government to that position. It’s now crucial that this bill is accompanied by funding for addiction services and awareness campaigns and support that these are free of industry influence.

“Sinn Féin support a regulated trade and acknowledges its importance to prevent the involvement of organised crime and grey market operators. Now that the legislation required for the new Gambling Regulatory Authority has passed, it’s time for the Authority to get on with its work. It’s also time for a redoubling of efforts to combat gambling addiction.”