Gambling addiction should be tackled in the same way as smoking, says Ireland’s prime minister

Gambling addiction should be tackled in the same way as smoking, says Ireland’s prime minister

Article brief provided by The Irish Times
  • Cormac McQuinn, The Irish Times
June 5, 2022 11:19 AM
  • Cormac McQuinn, The Irish Times

Gambling addiction should be dealt with in the same way as smoking has been tackled with “the full gamut of advertising regulation”, Taoiseach [Prime Minister] Micheál Martin has said.

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He was responding to questions on the attendance by some Government TDs and Senators at Punchestown Races as guests of the Irish Bookmakers Association.

Their attendance at the races came at a time when the Coalition is planning to strengthen laws surrounding gambling including plans to restrict advertising and to bring in a gambling regulator.

Mr Martin was asked if the politicians involved should apologise for attending the event. He said: “I’m not going to personalise it… I think lessons need to be learned from this in terms of getting on the side of working towards dealing with the addictions that flow from gambling.”