Irish gambling-related harm treatment providers call for Covid-19 deposit limits
Cross-sector stakeholders claim operators should not take advantage of players during “unprecedented crisis”
A group of Irish gambling-related harm treatment experts have called on Ireland-facing operators to immediately implement mandatory deposit and spending limits on gambling sites throughout the Covid-19 lockdown.
In a letter published in the Irish Times, the group calls on the bosses of Paddy Power Betfair, BoyleSports, Ladbrokes and all other Irish gambling operators to impose the limits in line with those currently being used by the Irish National Lottery.
Qualifying this call, the group cites similar restrictions being used in European markets including Latvia, Lithuania, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Finland and Portugal.
Signatories to the letter include Problem Gambling Ireland CEO Barry Grant and Professor Colin O’Gara, a consultant psychiatrist at St John of God Hospital, as well as addiction counsellor Oisin McConville.
The letter also highlighted similar calls being made by UK Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston, who recently told operators to “take extra steps” to protect players during the coronavirus pandemic.
“The last thing the gambling industry would want to be accused of is taking advantage during a time of unprecedented crisis,” the letter concludes.