MLAs triumph over TDs in gambling awareness match

A team of Northern Ireland MLAs has triumphed over deputies from the Republic’s Dail in a football match to raise awareness about gambling-related harm.

The TDs and MLAs were joined by football, rugby and GAA players to unite for The Big Step five-a-side tournament which was organised to highlight the exposure of young people to gambling advertising in sport.

Philip McGuigan, Robbie Butler, Stephen Dunne and former gaelic footballer Justin McNulty were among MLAs representing the Assembly while TDs Aidan Farrelly, Ruairi O Murchu, Darren O’Rourke and Frankie Feighan lined out on behalf of the Oireachtas.

They were joined by players from The Big Step campaign, the Professional Footballers Associations for Northern Ireland and Ireland, the Gaelic Players Association and Rugby Players Ireland.

The event was also supported by the Northern Ireland Assembly’s All Party Group (APG) on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling.

Mr McGuigan, chairman of the APG on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling, said: “Everyone has a casino in their pocket through their smartphones. It is more important than ever that we highlight the dangers of gambling advertising in soccer.”

The Sinn Fein MLA, who has spoken about his own problems with gambling addiction in the past, added: “The English Premier League is hugely popular here, and the gambling logos on shirts, stadium billboards and TV adverts are relentless.

“This needs to be significantly reduced to address the public health gambling epidemic we currently face.”

A recent cross-border report by Maynooth University and Ulster University showed that young people across the island of Ireland are exposed to “extremely high levels of gambling marketing” through televised sports programmes and social media content, much of which emanates from Great Britain.

The Big Step is a campaign run by Gambling With Lives to end all gambling advertising and sponsorship in football.

Organisers said Northern Ireland is now the only jurisdiction among the UK and the Republic of Ireland without updated gambling legislation in the internet era.

They note how legislation was introduced last year to establish a gambling regulatory authority in the Republic of Ireland and impose strict controls on gambling advertising, including a broadcasting watershed.

Members of the APG have written to Sport and Media Secretary Lisa Nandy to urgently introduce similar restrictions on gambling marketing.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Butler celebrated the MLA team’s 6-1 victory over the TDs.

On the topic of gambling, he said the APG was not a “prohibitionist” group but added it was important to highlight the dangers associated with the practice, including addiction, poverty, poor mental health and suicide.

The deputy leader of the UUP, who pulled a hamstring during a match, said the APG wanted to send a collective message to Westminster that gambling advertising was a “serious issue” to be addressed.

“Gambling is one of those addictive matters we need to see better legislation around,” he said.

Mr Feighan, the captain of the TDs, said the island of Ireland has “challenges” with gambling.

The Fine Gael TD said that while he bets “a bit” himself, there was a need to do more to protect people “from the scourge of gambling”.

Michael Carvill, chief executive of Professional Football Players Northern Ireland, said: “We believe there should be a sensible reduction in gambling promotion within the game to help protect players, fans, and especially young people from potential harm.”

One man who had been personally affected by gambling addiction said Friday’s tournament was a “fantastic” initiative.

Declan Cregan, a training and engagement officer for Chapter One, said his love of sport had been ruined by gambling in the past.

After starting off with a £1 bet at the age of 16, he said “things very quickly got a hell of a lot worse” to the point his last bet 10 years later was for £4,500.

“It was a very difficult 10 years for me, but unfortunately not just for me – it impacted so many parts of my life and people in my life. My mental health was impacted as well.”

Mr Cregan, who now works with a body aimed at reducing the harm of gambling in society, said: “Sport would be a much safer place if gambling advertising was kicked out.”

He said he would support a “blanket ban” on gambling advertising similar to the watershed in the Republic of Ireland.