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 exposure of young individuals to gambling marketing in sport.


Philip McGuigan, Robbie Butler, Stephen Dunne and former gaelic footballer Justin McNulty were among 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 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 gambling establishment in their pocket through their smartphones. It is more crucial than ever that we highlight the risks of betting advertising in soccer."


The Sinn Fein MLA, who has spoken about his own problems with gambling addiction in the past, added: "The English Premier League is hugely popular here, and the betting logo designs on shirts, stadium signboards and TV adverts are unrelenting.


"This needs to be considerably minimized to deal with the general 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 revealed that youths across the island of Ireland are exposed to "very high levels of betting marketing" through televised sports programmes and social networks material, much of which emanates from Great Britain.


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


Organisers stated Northern Ireland is now the only jurisdiction among the UK and the Republic of Ireland without updated gaming legislation in the web era.


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


They keep in mind how legislation was introduced in 2015 to develop a gaming regulative authority in the Republic of Ireland and impose rigorous controls on betting marketing, consisting of a broadcasting watershed.


Members of the APG have actually composed to Sport and Media Secretary Lisa Nandy to urgently present similar constraints on gaming marketing.


Talking to the PA news agency, 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 gaming, he stated the APG was not a "prohibitionist" group but added it was necessary to highlight the dangers associated with the practice, including addiction, poverty, poor 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 "serious issue" to be dealt with.


"Gambling is one of those addictive matters we require to see better legislation around," he stated.


Mr Feighan, the captain of the TDs, said the island of Ireland has "obstacles" with gambling.


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


Michael Carvill, chief executive of Professional Football Players Northern Ireland, said: "Our company believe there need to be a practical decrease in betting promotion within the video game to assist safeguard players, fans, and particularly young individuals from prospective damage."


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


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


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


"It was a very hard ten years for me, however unfortunately not just for me - it affected a lot of parts of my life and individuals in my life. My mental health was impacted too."


Mr Cregan, who now deals with a body aimed at reducing the damage of gambling in society, stated: "Sport would be a much safer location if betting advertising was tossed out."


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