A problem gambling treatment expert in Ireland shared his concern about spreading gambling addiction among young people across the country.
The manager of the Limerick-based Saoirse Addiction Treatment Centre, Alan Galvin, explained that compulsive gambling is one of the most serious “epidemics” the country is facing. He said that he is concerned about the rising popularity of online gambling among young people and described the lack of control they usually demonstrate as one of the major issues.
Mr. Galvin further shared that the variety of gambling operations offered on the Internet basically means that young people are able to simply go online and literally spend all their money on gambling. He said that some of them often cannot control themselves and even spend their entire unemployment benefit on quick bets, which literally offered them the chance to constantly gamble. The fact that young people often depend on their welfare could see themselves into debt, as the keenest gamblers usually lend money from friends and family members.
A 2015 report of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Alcohol (Nasda) showed that 64% of the Irish adult citizens were engaged in gambling at the time. Still, a broader definition was used by the report to describe gambling, with sports betting, slot machines, lottery and family bingo being all described as gambling. The report also did not provide any details on the frequency of gambling among local people.
According to Mr. Galvin, gambling has always been seen as a social issue and what is worse, has been neglected. The treatment expert says that another major problem is the large lobby of gambling operators, especially considering the fact that “big money” is involved.
Irish Government Needs to Crack Down on Unlicensed Gambling
Over the last couple of years, gambling operators in Ireland have seen local authorities efforts to start a crackdown on casinos which offer unlicensed gambling machines. The local Government has collected extra taxes amounting to more than €1 million from businesses which do not comply with the country’s gambling legislation. Still, Mr. Galvin shared that little is being done in terms of regulating the full scope of gambling in such venues.
The Saoirse Addiction Treatment Centre’s manager further noted that Ireland needs to take gambling regulation more seriously and impose stricter measures on companies and venues which violate gambling legislation. In addition, he explained that more measures need to be taken in terms of gambling addiction, as well.
Considering the rising problem gambling rates, Catherine Byrne, Minister of State of National Drugs Strategy, has explained that the same range of regulation has applied to gambling as to other issues, such as alcohol and drug addiction. Ms. Byrne shared that the interventions in question include not only an initial assessment and comprehensive assessment but individual counselling as well.
She further revealed that counselling and rehabilitation services are provided to gambling addicts through a number of financial advice, one to one counselling and onward referral and support where appropriate.
- Author
Daniel Williams
