€5bn gamble - A fair punt

YESTERDAY we reported that Irish people gambled at least €5 billion last year — that amounts to €14m each and every day of the year.

To put that in context the Health Service Executive’s budget for this year is €14.7bn. For every €3 we spend on health we spend €1 on the horses, football pools or betting on What Bertie Said Next.

Provisional Revenue figures show that off-course betting exceeded €3.5bn during 2007, with 1% of that figure collected by the taxman. That represents an increase of almost €300m on 2006 and does not include on-course betting, online gambling or Lotto.

Suggesting, just a week before the Cheltenham Festival begins, that there should be a fixed levy on these fabulous figures to fund services for those addicted to gambling would be about as popular as suggesting there should be a fixed levy on alcohol sales to fund services for alcoholics and those affected by alcoholism.

Disapproval does not make it a bad idea though.