SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) has urged the Irish government to cease allowing offshore companies that offer bets on draws to operate within the country.
It was reported last week that with ambitions to open discussions about the issue, the PLI has met with numerous Irish Ministers.
A spokesperson for PLI stated: “The National Lottery is concerned at the growth of unregulated, offshore, bet-on-lottery operators over the last 18 months.
“The parasitic activities of these lotteries are posing a serious threat to the National Lottery, and in turn the millions raised annually for good causes.
“We urge the government to take urgent action to protect the National Lottery from this threat.
“The National Lottery was set up with the express purpose of raising funds for good causes.
“There is a loophole in the current regulatory environment which allows betting on the outcome of lotteries, and offshore betting companies — underwritten by insurance policies — are exploiting this loophole.”
A spokesperson for Ireland’s department of Public Expenditure emphasised in a statement that it would continue to speak with the PLI and the region’s gambling regulator as it looks to continue “reviewing the impacts of these online betting websites on the Irish National Lottery and in examining any potential actions that could be considered to address these issues”.
