Special Investigation: Multimillion casino sector operates outside law

They are prohibited under current Irish law, yet every city and large town in the country has at least one casino.

What’s more, successive administrations have not only failed to regulate the multimillion-euro industry by bringing gaming laws into the 21st century — the rules date from 1956 — but they have even failed to enforce the existing legislation by shutting the offending gaming clubs down.

Up to 50 casinos operate openly as “private members’ clubs” on some of the country’s main city centre streets.

Some attract up to 200 punters every night, with many placing sizeable bets on hands of poker, games of roulette, or the roll of a dice.

In Sept 2011, Justice Minister Alan Shatter said the Government agreed to start work “immediately” on new legislation to modernise our laws on gambling, not least since many thousands of euro are being lost to the exchequer every month through online gambling.

Last week, Fianna Fáil’s justice spokesman Niall Collins asked Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the Dáil where the legislation was.

Mr Kenny said: “The heads of the Gambling Control Bill have not been approved yet by the Government. Therefore, it will be next year before it arrives on the table.”

The Department of Justice said Mr Shatter hoped “to bring the heads of the new bill to Government before the end of this year, for approval and agreement to move to the next stage, ie, the drafting of a Gambling Control Bill”.

Mr Collins said: “It looks like the legislation will not be in place for at least two years after it was first announced. It should not take so long for such important laws to be brought before the Oireachtas.”

Meanwhile, the clubs continue to operate and make profits unchecked. & The only obligation on private members’ clubs at present is a requirement to register for anti- money laundering purposes.

An Irish Examiner probe found some clubs regularly open 24 hours a day, sell alcohol throughout those hours, and admit people without membership as is required under anti-money laundering laws.

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