Irish Examiner View: Lack of action is gambling with lives

Legislation to facilitate the establishment of a gambling regulator was published to replace what was described as an 'outdated, fragmented' legal framework under which gambling currently operates. Picture: Philip Toscano/PA Wire

The Health Research Board (HRB), which has issued its first report on gambling trends, found a 20% reduction in gambling overall, with the number of people who gamble falling from almost 2.4m in 2014/15 to 1.9m in 2019/20. 

That’s the good news, but it masks the reality of the problem because the biggest reduction was seen in those buying lottery tickets or scratch cards — down from 57% to 42% over the same period.

The study, which echoes previous ones conducted by the Department of Health, estimates that there are 12,000 problem gamblers in the country. This is defined as those who gamble with negative consequences and a possible loss of control. According to the study, there are a further 125,000 people considered to be “at-risk” gamblers. Men were five times more likely than women to have a problem.

Addiction to gambling can happen to almost anyone.

Earlier this week, an 80-year-old nun who stole over $800,000 (€700,000) to bankroll a gambling habit and fund lavish holidays was jailed for a year in California. Mary Margaret Kreuper swore to a life of poverty when she took her vows 60 years ago but, as principal of a Catholic elementary school near Los Angeles, she diverted $835,000 of school funds to pay for gambling jaunts in Las Vegas.

The sector has seen significant growth over the past 10 years, facilitated by online gambling and technological developments. The industry is worth an estimated €6bn-€10bn.

Legislation to facilitate the establishment of a gambling regulator was published by the Government last October.

Power to withdraw licences

Its main purpose is to replace what minister of State at the Department of Justice James Browne described as an “outdated, fragmented” legal framework under which gambling currently operates. The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, when established, will have the power to withdraw licences and close down businesses.

The question is whether the legislation, as outlined, is robust enough to tackle problem gambling and the extent to which it can lead to financial ruin and facilitate criminal activities such as theft and embezzlement.

International comparisons show that around nine or 10 people are negatively affected by one problem gambler. That means up to 120,000 people are adversely affected by gambling in Ireland.

The HRB report, which highlights the lack of specific HSE services for gambling addiction, should serve as a wake-up call to the Government. While the legislation meanders its way through the Oireachtas, thousands of addicts and their families continue to be affected.

People with a gambling problem are 15 times more likely to take their own life, according to the largest study of its kind conducted in Sweden in 2019. Academics at Lund University monitored more than 2,000 people with gambling disorders over an 11-year period, finding a significantly elevated risk of suicide among participants compared to the general population. The study found that suicide rates increased 19-fold among men between the ages of 20 and 49.

Unless we tackle this problem with the urgency it needs, we, as a nation, will be gambling with people’s lives.