MLAs Triumph Over TDs In Gambling Awareness Match
A group of Northern Ireland MLAs has actually 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 signed up with 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 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 occasion 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, stated: "Everyone has a gambling establishment in their pocket through their mobile phones. It is more essential than ever that we highlight the dangers of gambling advertising in soccer."
The Sinn Fein MLA, who has spoken about his own problems with gambling addiction in the past, included: "The English Premier League is extremely popular here, and the gaming logo designs on shirts, arena signboards and TV adverts are unrelenting.
"This requires to be substantially decreased to address the general public health gaming epidemic we presently face."
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 people across the island of Ireland are exposed to "very high levels of gambling marketing" through televised sports programmes and social media material, much of which originates from Great Britain.
The Big Step is a campaign run by Gambling With Lives to end all gambling advertising and sponsorship in football.
Organisers said Northern Ireland is now the only jurisdiction amongst the UK and the Republic of Ireland without upgraded gambling legislation in the web era.
Fine Gael TD Frank Feighan (left) in action against SDLP MLA Justin McNulty (Liam McBurney/PA)
They note how legislation was introduced last year to establish a gaming regulatory authority in the Republic of Ireland and enforce strict controls on gambling advertising, consisting of a broadcasting watershed.
Members of the APG have actually written to Sport and Media Secretary Lisa Nandy to urgently present comparable restrictions on gambling marketing.
Speaking with the PA news company, Mr Butler celebrated the MLA group's 6-1 triumph 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 included it was very important to highlight the dangers associated with the practice, consisting of dependency, hardship, poor mental health and suicide.
The deputy leader of the UUP, who pulled a hamstring throughout a match, said the APG wished to send out a collective message to Westminster that betting marketing was a "severe problem" 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 said that while he bets "a bit" himself, there was a requirement to do more to secure people "from the of gaming".
Michael Carvill, primary executive of Professional Football Players Northern Ireland, stated: "Our company believe there should be a sensible reduction in gambling promotion within the game to help safeguard players, fans, and specifically youths from potential harm."
One man who had actually been personally affected by betting dependency stated Friday's tournament was a "wonderful" initiative.
Declan Cregan, a training and engagement officer for Chapter One, said his love of sport had been messed up by gambling in the past.
After beginning with a ₤ 1 bet at the age of 16, he said "things very rapidly got a hell of a lot even worse" to the point his last bet ten years later was for ₤ 4,500.
"It was an extremely difficult ten years for me, but regrettably not just for me - it impacted numerous parts of my life and people in my life. My mental health was impacted as well."
Mr Cregan, who now works with a body targeted at decreasing the harm of gaming in society, said: "Sport would be a much more secure place if betting advertising was tossed out."
He said he would support a "blanket restriction" on betting advertising comparable to the watershed in the Republic of Ireland.