New gambling bill proposes limiting wins from roulette and card games to €3,000
The Government’s new gambling bill proposes limiting wins from roulette and card games to €3,000.
Bets for such games would be capped at €10 under the proposals.
‘Consumers don’t go to the black market for just one product’
An analysis of the bill by UK-based gambling industry consultancy firm Regulus said 30pc to 40pc of online gaming in Ireland could be affected, equating to an estimated revenue of €80m to €100m annually.
It said these figures are based on its own analysis of the Irish market and similar foreign markets.
A considerable portion of this revenue and customer engagement may shift to the black market if customers seek games with higher jackpots and no-limit betting, the company said.
Regulus co-founder Paul Leyland thinks the limits could contribute to more players placing riskier bets at longer odds in pursuit of greater winnings.
The new law will affect online and casino gambling. Photo: Getty
Mr Leyland said the €10 limit only makes sense if it is only applied to slot machines.
“The other limit is the €3,000 on a prize, which sounds like a lot of money if you are dealing with a single prize for a single event.
“It is still very dangerous because high-value customers really matter in gambling,” Mr Leyland added.
“If you imagine top Irish racing owners or trainers betting on a horse, they are expecting to win more than €3,000.
“We know that limit doesn’t apply to betting [on racing], but we can assume such a gambler has the same attitude to gaming.
“If you direct high-value customers to the black market for some products, why should they stay in the regulated market for other products?
“Consumers don’t go to the black market for just one product.”
Mr Leyland said affordability checks, similar to ones used in Germany, could be considered for cases where people could apply to have the €3,000 limit increased.
“Legislation is hard to change, and even if we have a period of high inflation in the future, those limits may need to be revisited,” he added.
The Department of Justice said the proposed limits on games and slots are in line with caps introduced in 2019, but they will be modernised in the new legislation. The new Gambling Regulatory Authority will be able to adjust them in future if necessary.
A spokesman said the legislation also contains measures aimed at combatting black-market operators.
This will include enabling the new authority to work with An Garda Síochána to ensure there is a robust system of enforcement in place to address such activity.
“The bill contains a suite of measures to address unlicensed gambling activity, such as blocking access to unlicensed operators and activities, and blocking the advertising and promotion of same.
“It provides for a new streamlined, simplified and coherent licensing framework that reflects the nature of gambling in the State, and includes prohibitions on illegal activity or practices, some of which could result in significant jail sentences,” he said.