Irish Examiner view: Free bets escalate gambling problems

Betting adverts routinely carry warnings that people should 'gamble responsibly' but if those warnings are to be taken seriously, the industry should row in to support the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland

The ESRI says gambling offers pose real risk of financial harm, particularly to vulnerable groups.

Readers who are annoyed by gambling company advertisements that offer free bets to customers are on to something, to judge by a new report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

The ESRI says that people at risk of problem gambling are more susceptible to the inducements offered by gambling companies, such as free bets and money-back guarantees, and that those people experience significantly more harm from their exposure to them.