MLAs Triumph Over TDs In Gambling Awareness Match
A team of Northern Ireland MLAs has triumphed over deputies from the Republic's Dail in a football match to raise awareness about gambling-related harm.
The TDs and MLAs were joined by football, rugby and GAA players to unite for The Big Step five-a-side competition which was organised to highlight the direct exposure of youths to betting 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 Feighan lined out on behalf of the Oireachtas.
They were joined by players 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 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 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 casino in their pocket through their smart devices. It is more crucial than ever that we highlight the risks of gambling advertising in soccer."
The Sinn Fein MLA, who has discussed his own issues with gambling addiction in the past, included: "The English Premier League is hugely popular here, and the betting logos on shirts, stadium signboards and TV adverts are unrelenting.
"This needs to be considerably lowered to resolve the public health gambling epidemic we presently deal with."
Finn McGrath (centre left) from All Party Group Secretariat in action versus Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu (centre right) (Liam McBurney/PA)
A recent cross-border report by Maynooth University and Ulster University showed that young individuals across the island of Ireland are exposed to "exceptionally high levels of gambling marketing" through telecasted sports programmes and social networks material, much of which originates from Great Britain.
The Big Step is a campaign run by Gambling With Lives to end all gambling marketing and sponsorship in football.
Organisers said Northern Ireland is now the only jurisdiction amongst the UK and the Republic of Ireland without updated gambling legislation in the internet period.
Fine Gael TD Frank Feighan (left) in action against SDLP MLA Justin McNulty (Liam McBurney/PA)
They note how legislation was presented last year to develop a gaming regulatory authority in the Republic of Ireland and enforce rigorous controls on gambling marketing, including a broadcasting watershed.
Members of the APG have actually written to Sport and Media Secretary Lisa Nandy to urgently introduce comparable restrictions on gambling marketing.
Speaking to the PA news company, 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 gambling, he stated the APG was not a "prohibitionist" group however added it was very important to highlight the threats connected with the practice, consisting of dependency, hardship, bad psychological health and suicide.
The deputy leader of the UUP, who pulled a hamstring throughout a match, said the APG wished to send a cumulative message to Westminster that betting marketing was a "severe concern" to be addressed.
"Gambling is among those addicting matters we need to see better legislation around," he said.
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 requirement to do more to protect people "from the scourge of gaming".
Michael Carvill, president of Professional Football Players Northern Ireland, said: "We believe there should be a practical reduction in gambling promo within the game to help safeguard players, fans, and specifically young individuals from possible damage."
One man who had been personally affected by gambling dependency stated Friday's tournament was a "wonderful" effort.
Declan Cregan, a training and engagement officer for Chapter One, said his love of sport had actually been messed up by betting in the past.
After beginning with a ₤ 1 bet at the age of 16, he stated "things really quickly got a hell of a lot worse" to the point his last bet ten years later on was for ₤ 4,500.
"It was an extremely challenging 10 years for me, but regrettably not just for me - it impacted numerous parts of my life and individuals in my life. My psychological health was impacted too."
Mr Cregan, who now deals with a body focused on decreasing the harm of gaming in society, stated: "Sport would be a much more secure place if was kicked out."
He said he would support a "blanket ban" on betting advertising comparable to the watershed in the Republic of Ireland.