MLAs Triumph Over TDs In Gambling Awareness Match

A team 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 signed up with by football, rugby and GAA gamers to unite for The Big Step five-a-side competition which was organised to highlight the direct exposure of youths to gambling marketing in sport.


Philip McGuigan, Robbie Butler, Stephen Dunne and previous 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 project, 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 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 event was likewise 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 mobile phones. It is more vital than ever that we highlight the risks of gambling marketing in soccer."


The Sinn Fein MLA, who has discussed his own problems with betting dependency in the past, included: "The English Premier League is extremely popular here, and the gambling logo designs on t-shirts, stadium billboards and TV adverts are relentless.


"This needs to be considerably lowered to address 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 revealed that youths throughout the island of Ireland are exposed to "incredibly high levels of gambling marketing" through televised 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 advertising and sponsorship in football.


Organisers stated Northern Ireland is now the only jurisdiction amongst the UK and the Republic of Ireland without upgraded gambling legislation in the web age.


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


They note how legislation was introduced in 2015 to develop a gaming regulatory authority in the Republic of Ireland and impose rigorous controls on gambling marketing, consisting of a broadcasting watershed.


Members of the APG have written to Sport and Media Secretary Lisa Nandy to urgently present comparable limitations on betting marketing.


Talking to the PA news agency, Mr Butler commemorated the MLA team's 6-1 success over the TDs.


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


On the topic of gambling, he stated the APG was not a "prohibitionist" group but added it was important to highlight the dangers related to the practice, including dependency, hardship, bad mental health and suicide.


The deputy leader of the UUP, who pulled a hamstring during a match, stated the APG desired to send a cumulative message to Westminster that gambling advertising was a "serious concern" to be resolved.


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


Mr Feighan, the captain of the TDs, stated 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 secure individuals "from the scourge of betting".


Michael Carvill, president of Professional Football Players Northern Ireland, said: "Our company believe there need to be a reasonable decrease in gambling promotion within the video game to help secure players, fans, and particularly young individuals from possible harm."


One male who had actually been personally affected by betting dependency said Friday's tournament was a "wonderful" initiative.


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


After beginning with a ₤ 1 bet at the age of 16, he said "things extremely rapidly 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 tough ten years for me, but regrettably not simply for me - it affected many parts of my life and individuals in my life. My mental health was affected too."


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


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