Lately, Teachtaí Dálas (TDs) and Senators have heard that approximately 7,000 betting accounts are put on hold monthly in the UK and Ireland.
The gambling giant Flutter Entertainment, which currently operates both in the UK and Ireland, has revealed that it suspends about 7,000 accounts on a monthly basis. Conor Grant of the Irish bookmaker informed the Oireachtas Justice Committee that the gambling operator intervenes with customers every month. As part of its policies, approximately 28,000 accounts are being reviewed monthly, while about 7,000 accounts of customers from the UK and Ireland are being put on hold. Mr Grant further noted that these actions are taken by the gambling giant in an effort to protect customers, and the measures could range depending on the risk.
The representative of the Irish bookmaker further noted that online accounts provide local bookmakers with greater access to data, and companies can easily get information regarding people’s behaviours. Mr Grant also explained that Flutter Entertainment intervenes with customers’ accounts to place physical restrictions but the company always approaches customers for a conversation before taking any further actions against their online accounts and informed the Oireachtas Justice Committee that the measures range depending on that conversation.
Barry Ward, a Fine Gael Senator, shared his concern that the cited 7,000 figure is not helpful because it includes not only data for Irish customers but also for the UK. However, Mr Grant explained that there is no framework and legislation to regulate the matter, so the industry has been following its own practices. He was also unable to provide an exact breakdown of the number of customers who were forced to stop betting at all or had faced some spending limits on their accounts.
Betting Shop Staff Unable to Always Recognise and Monitor Potential Problem Gamblers
Apart from Flutter Entertainment, a number of other betting operators, including Entain, BetXS and Lottoland appeared before the Oireachtas Justice Committee. Тhe Irish Bookmakers Association (IBA) also took part in the meetings. All of them confirmed their support for a new piece of legislation that would create a gambling regulatory body in the country.
Sharon Byrne from the Irish Bookmakers Association explained that the employees of betting outlets across the country are not trained as gambling addiction specialists but they are supposed to pass some training on how to detect a potential gambling addict and how to approach them in order to help them. The IBA has also called for the new gambling regulatory body to choose and appoint a CEO with significant and relevant experience for the job.
Earlier, Colm Finlay, an independent bookmaker in Ireland, shared with the Dáil committee that sportsbook operators use the excitement and glamour of sports betting to lure young people into gambling, which has eventually led to vulnerable younger audiences seeking to make fast and easy money.
Mr Finlay from Orchadia Systems noted that oftentimes betting shop staff are unable to detect and monitor underage behaviour and also reminded that problem gambling could be kept secret by customers who find it hard to deal with their compulsive gambling behaviour. According to him, the existing vetting procedures in local betting outlets are not fit for purpose but there is currently no industry-wide process to recognise, manage and control the whole vetting process.
- Author
Daniel Williams
