Bill could lead to a rise in black market betting which will put a strain on force resources
Pat Lordan, a former chief superintendent at the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, said the Government’s new Gambling Regulation Bill poses increased money laundering risks.
He said “over regulating” the gambling industry will encourage criminal networks to facilitate underground markets which are difficult to police.
“It is resource intensive if you have to go to every casino in the country that is legal and not legal, because they are not going to have a sign over the door,” he added.
“It will fall back to Johnny the guard down in Dingle to go out on his pushbike and see if there is any gambling there in the shed of a house.”
Is it proportionate to say the biggest bet you can have is €10?
The bill is scheduled to go through final stages in the Dáil on Wednesday.
It sets out a framework for the establishment of a new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, enforcement measures and proposes limiting bets to €10 and winnings to €3,000 on gaming machines and live tables.
Law Reform Minister James Browne has said the bill is aimed at tackling problem gambling, but it has been the subject of intense lobbying over the prosed limits.
Mr Lordan was the garda’s lead representative on a review of Ireland’s measures to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing carried out by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global watchdog established by the G7 group of countries.
Law Reform Minister James Browne
“The FATF guidelines over the years said you should not over restrict legitimate business, and that there should be a proportionate approach towards managing risks. The risks here are around money laundering, but is it proportionate to say the biggest bet you can have is €10? I don’t think so,” he said.
“If the figures as they currently are remain in place, I think we run the risk of pushing some gambling to an unregulated market where we will have no visibility.”
Carlton Entertainment Group chief executive Debbie Lawrence said the limits work for slot machines, where multiple bets can be made in a minute, but they will make table games such as roulette, poker, blackjack and baccarat unviable, posing job risks for the sector.
I have 60 staff I will potentially have to let go
“When you are on a table, depending on the games there will be five to eight people playing. If you have each person playing the maximum of €10 per person, that means you have €50 to €80 placed on each hand. The hands are much slower than slots because people have to work their way through the game. It is a much slower process,” she said.
“I have 60 staff I will potentially have to let go because the running costs will not cover what we are making.”
She said the limits would also make staging international poker tournaments in Ireland unviable.
Ms Lawrence’s father Richard Quirke founded the casino group. He died on October 12 and was buried after a funeral mass in Dublin yesterday.
She said the proposed legislation should be given more time, with the new regulator given an opportunity to consider how different sectors of the industry should be managed.
A Department of Justice spokesman said the bill “contains a suite of measures to address illegal or criminal gambling activity”, including bans which could lead to significant custodial sentences.
He said the new gambling authority will work with gardaí to ensure a robust enforcement system is in place, and the proposed limits on games and slots are in line with caps introduced in 2019.
“The Gambling Regulation Bill has been drafted from a public health perspective and seeks to protect those most vulnerable in our communities, including children and younger people, from the harms presented by problem gambling,” he added.