MLAs Triumph Over TDs In Gambling Awareness Match

A group of Northern Ireland MLAs has thrived over deputies from the Republic's Dail in a football match to raise awareness about gambling-related damage.


The TDs and MLAs were joined by football, rugby and GAA gamers to join for The Big Step five-a-side tournament which was organised to highlight the exposure of youths to gambling marketing in sport.


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


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


UUP MLA Robbie Butler, Sinn Fein TD Darren O ´ Rourke, DUP MLA Stephen Dunne, Fine Gael TD Frank Feighan, SDLP MLA Justin McNulty, Sinn Fein TD Joanna Byrne, Sinn Fein MLA Philip McGuigan, Fine Gael TD Brian Brennan (front row) Cool FM chief press reporter James Gould, Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly, Finn McGrath from the All Party Group Secretariat, and Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu (Liam McBurney/PA)


The occasion 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 smart devices. It is more crucial than ever that we highlight the dangers of betting marketing in soccer."


The Sinn Fein MLA, who has actually spoken about his own problems with gambling dependency in the past, added: "The English Premier League is extremely popular here, and the betting logos on shirts, stadium billboards and TV adverts are unrelenting.


"This requires to be substantially decreased to deal with the public health gaming epidemic we presently face."


Finn McGrath (centre left) from All Party Group Secretariat in action versus Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu (centre right) (Liam McBurney/PA)


A current cross-border report by Maynooth University and Ulster University showed that young individuals throughout the island of Ireland are exposed to "very high levels of gambling marketing" through telecasted sports programmes and social media content, much of which originates from Great Britain.


The Big Step is a project run by Gambling With Lives to end all betting marketing and sponsorship in football.


Organisers stated Northern Ireland is now the only jurisdiction among the UK and the Republic of Ireland without upgraded betting legislation in the internet age.


Fine Gael TD Frank Feighan (left) in action versus SDLP MLA Justin McNulty (Liam McBurney/PA)


They note how legislation was introduced in 2015 to establish a gaming regulative authority in the Republic of Ireland and enforce strict controls on betting marketing, consisting of a broadcasting watershed.


Members of the APG have composed to Sport and Media Secretary Lisa Nandy to urgently introduce comparable constraints on betting marketing.


Speaking with the PA news firm, Mr Butler celebrated the MLA team's 6-1 success over the TDs.


Sinn Fein MLA Philip McGuigan shoots throughout the match (Liam McBurney/PA)


On the subject of gaming, he said the APG was not a "prohibitionist" group however added it was very important to highlight the risks connected with the practice, consisting of addiction, poverty, bad psychological health and suicide.


The deputy leader of the UUP, who pulled a hamstring throughout a match, stated the APG wanted to send out a collective message to Westminster that gambling marketing was a "major concern" to be dealt with.


"Gambling is one of those addicting matters we require to see much better legislation around," he said.


Mr Feighan, the captain of the TDs, said the island of Ireland has "obstacles" with gaming.


The Fine Gael TD stated that while he bets "a bit" himself, there was a requirement to do more to protect people "from the scourge of betting".


Michael Carvill, president of Professional Football Players Northern Ireland, stated: "We think there ought to be a sensible decrease in gambling promotion within the game to help safeguard players, fans, and especially youths from potential damage."


One man who had actually been personally affected by gambling addiction stated Friday's competition was a "great" effort.


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


After beginning with a ₤ 1 bet at the age of 16, he stated "things extremely rapidly got a hell of a lot even worse" to the point his last bet ten years later was for ₤ 4,500.


"It was a really challenging 10 years for me, but regrettably not simply for me - it affected so lots of parts of my life and individuals in my life. My mental health was affected too."


Mr Cregan, who now works with a body targeted at decreasing the harm of betting in society, said: "Sport would be a much more secure place if betting marketing was kicked out."


He stated he would support a "blanket ban" on gambling marketing similar to the watershed in the Republic of Ireland.