Residents of Northern Ireland Support Offline and Online Gambling

According to the findings of a recent survey, people in Northern Ireland believe that the country's present gambling regulations should be changed to allow for land-based casinos, regulate online gambling, and authorize Sunday betting.

The Department for Communities (DfC) in Northern Ireland began a public consultation on the regulation of gambling in December 2019 and earlier this week made the results of that consultation available.

A total of 382 people and organizations responded to the online consultation. In other words, it is difficult to say that the survey's findings accurately reflect what the general public thinks about gambling on Northern Ireland's territory.

Summary of the Report

In response to the DfC's request for opinions, almost 63% of people and organizations expressed the opinion that the nation's current gambling laws should be changed to allow for brick-and-mortar casinos. When responding on their own behalf rather than speaking on behalf of an organization, respondents were more likely to support physical casinos (70% to 30%, respectively).

Similar to this, 60% of all respondents favored removing the ban on playing poker, bingo, and other "equal chance" activities in bars and clubs.

54% of those polled believed it would be a good idea to enact licensing and regulatory standards for internet gambling in Northern Ireland. The lack of enthusiasm for a new regulatory framework for online gambling may be due to the fact that the nation's current gambling laws do not really offer a mechanism to stop citizens from gambling online.

Around 66 percent of all respondents said they thought Northern Ireland should extend the hours that betting shops are open. Only 14% of respondents indicated they preferred gambling on Christmas, but almost all respondents supported betting shops opening on Sundays and nearly 60% said they supported opening on Good Friday.

Almost universal support for the new regulator

The survey's findings indicate that there is significant support in Northern Ireland for the creation of a new regulatory body. A new regulatory organization should be established and tasked with regulating the local gaming and sports betting industries, according to about 93% of all respondents.

Almost all respondents (97%) agreed that the gaming business in Northern Ireland should contribute to funding research, instruction, and treatment for problem gamblers.

And almost 68% of all respondents thought that the nation should change its legislative framework for gambling so as to remove the £1 maximum stake cap for society lotteries.

Additionally, respondents were questioned about the regulations governing gambling advertising. Retail betting advertisements are only permitted in "hard copy" at the moment; broadcasting is not allowed. Bingo and arcade gambling machines are exempt from this ban on advertising for gaming establishments.

A total of 52% of respondents believed Northern Ireland should harmonize its gambling advertising regulations with those in Great Britain, which are more liberal. 27% of respondents thought additional limitations should be put in place, and 4% thought the current regulations should be loosened. Only 17% of those surveyed thought the existing regulations on gambling advertising were still suitable and relevant.