MLAs Triumph Over TDs In Gambling Awareness Match

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


The TDs and MLAs were signed up with by football, rugby and GAA players to unify for The Big Step five-a-side tournament which was arranged to highlight the direct exposure of youths to gambling advertising 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 Feighan lined out on behalf of the Oireachtas.


They were signed up with 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, 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, stated: "Everyone has a gambling establishment in their pocket through their smartphones. It is more vital than ever that we highlight the risks of betting advertising in soccer."


The Sinn Fein MLA, who has actually spoken about his own issues with betting dependency in the past, included: "The English Premier League is hugely popular here, and the betting logo designs on t-shirts, stadium signboards and TV adverts are relentless.


"This requires to be significantly decreased to attend to the general public health gaming epidemic we currently face."


Finn McGrath (centre left) from All Party Group Secretariat in action against 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 people throughout the island of Ireland are exposed to "very high levels of betting marketing" through telecasted sports programs and social media material, much of which originates from Great Britain.


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


Organisers said Northern Ireland is now the only jurisdiction amongst the UK and the Republic of Ireland without upgraded gaming legislation in the web era.


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


They keep in mind how legislation was introduced in 2015 to establish a gambling regulative authority in the Republic of Ireland and impose rigorous controls on gambling advertising, including a broadcasting watershed.


Members of the APG have actually written to Sport and Media Secretary Lisa Nandy to urgently present similar restrictions on betting marketing.


Talking to the PA news firm, Mr Butler celebrated the MLA team's 6-1 victory over the TDs.


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


On the topic of betting, he said the APG was not a "prohibitionist" group however added it was crucial to highlight the dangers related to the practice, consisting of addiction, hardship, bad mental health and suicide.


The deputy leader of the UUP, who pulled a hamstring throughout a match, said the APG wished to send out a cumulative message to Westminster that betting marketing was a "major problem" to be resolved.


"Gambling is among those addicting matters we require to see better legislation around," he stated.


Mr Feighan, the captain of the TDs, stated the island of Ireland has "challenges" with gaming.


The Fine Gael TD stated that while he bets "a bit" himself, there was a need to do more to secure individuals "from the scourge of gaming".


Michael Carvill, president of Professional Football Players Northern Ireland, stated: "We believe there must be a reasonable decrease in gambling promotion within the game to assist secure players, fans, and especially youths from possible harm."


One male who had actually been personally impacted by gambling addiction said Friday's tournament was a "great" effort.


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


After beginning with a ₤ 1 bet at the age of 16, he said "things extremely quickly got a hell of a lot even worse" to the point his last bet 10 years later was for ₤ 4,500.


"It was a really challenging ten years for me, however sadly not just for me - it impacted numerous parts of my life and individuals in my life. My psychological health was affected too."


Mr Cregan, who now deals with a body targeted at decreasing the damage of gaming in society, said: "Sport would be a much safer location if gambling advertising was tossed out."


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