Concerns over impact of proposed gambling legislation on local horse racing industry

Cllr Tom Farrell has called on Westmeath County Council to write to the Minister for Law Reform James Browne expressing concern at the unintended consequences of proposed gambling legislation for small rural racecourses such as Kilbeggan.

Cllr Farrell said the proposed gambling legislation could have a huge effect on the Midlands and rural Ireland.

Section 141 of the Bill bans gambling advertising from all TV in Ireland between 5.30am and 9pm and proposes to ban the provision of ATMs from racecourses. The Gambling Regulation Bill could threaten the coverage of the sport and affect racetrack revenues.

Organisations representing Irish racecourses want the section of the bill amended to exempt specialist channels such as Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing.

Cllr Farrell added that the bill will affect those breeding horses because they have the opportunity to see the horses racing live on television.

"These race courses are all run by voluntary committees so it's very important that there's some sort of compromise reached in trying to facilitate everybody."

Cllr John Dolan fully supported the motion, saying that it's an industry that “really is important to rural Ireland.” He added that the legislation will be detrimental for certain people and that in his own area there are very famous horseracing people.

“I think we should be very vocal on this because at the end of the day we (the council) actually sponsor a racing event ourselves," the Fine Gael councillor said, referring to the local authority's sponsorship of a race at Kilbeggan each year.

Cllr Liam McDaniel added that it was a “good motion” and that the proposed gambling legislation would have more of an impact on small racecourses like Kilbeggan than Leopardstown.

Cllr McDaniel also accepted hat the intention of the bill is to manage the whole issue of gambling and said that “we must accept that there is an issue in this country with gambling addiction.”

The Fianna Fáil councillor remarked that Racing TV televises every race in Ireland and is very much dependent on advertising from within the horseracing industry, including gambling firms.

He concluded by highlighting that the horseracing industry generates over €2 billion for the economy every year so “we must support it.”

Cllr Vinny McCormack suggested there was a solution to the issue.

He said: “The Racing Channel is a subscription channel and as such I think there’s an easy solution to this problem, that you give the Racing Channel special status as an opt-in subscription channel which is then exempt from the same timeframe which apply within the law (up to 9pm)."

The Fianna Fáil councillor explained: “If you remove that or if you get special status to it as a subscription opt-in channel, it allows the Racing Channel to carry on with its advertising” He said that the same rules wouldn't apply as with terrestrial TV. “I think everyone would be happy with a solution like that.”

Cllr McCormack also cited the problem with gambling in Ireland. “There is a very real gambling issue which does need to be tackled and which is causing damage in homes up and down the country but there’s a right way and a wrong way to tackle it.”

Cllr Paul Hogan fully supported the motion and said that the proposed legislation could have consequences for breeders, trainers, the owners of the horses and those involved in the horseracing industry in rural communities.