Debate contribution: Gambling-related Harms: Public Health Approach

Debate contribution by Mr Mark Durkan on 28 January 2025.

MLA

Mr Mark Durkan

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

28 January 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Gambling-related Harms: Public Health Approach

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4764107

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I also commend the work of the APG, of which I am a member. My attendance at its meetings has not been great lately. Justin McNulty does the lion's share of our work on it. Justin cannot be here today, as he is caught up with constituents who are still without power. I commend Mr McGuigan again on airing his own experience. It is indeed valuable. If any of us can put anything out there that can help someone else, it is important that we do so. I will particularly address the use of electronic gaming machines, also known as fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). Those machines, which offer a variety of games, including roulette, are highly addictive and often described as the crack cocaine of gambling. Evidence from the most recent inquiry, as well as that from previous inquiries, strongly suggests that the risk of gambling harm is significantly influenced by the characteristics of the gambling products themselves, with several witnesses highlighting how the public health implications of harm stem from gaming machines specifically. Clinical experts told the inquiry that gambling products that offer continuous play, which is characterised by high speed of play and a short time between wagers and outcomes, as is the case with electronic gaming machines and online gambling games, carry a much higher risk of addiction and related harms. That impresses on us the need to regulate the characteristics, as well as the availability and accessibility, of the products at the root of the harm. Earlier in today's business, in reference to the initial gambling code of practice, the Minister for Communities said to my party colleague the leader of the Opposition that there are measures in place that will make a difference. From a public health perspective, however, it is disappointing that the draft initial code of practice that was consulted on recently makes no reference to gaming machines, particularly given their high risk of addiction and related harms, as I have outlined. It is timely and urgent that we address the risks associated with electronic gaming machines, given that, earlier today, regulations to raise significantly the maximum stake and prize limits for gaming were approved by the Assembly. In light of the new regulations and a growing body of evidence that highlights gaming machines as being the most harmful group of products, it is imperative that we have clarity over who has responsibility for enforcement. The question of enforcement is particularly important, given that there is evidence that the previous regulations setting maximum stake and prize limits for gaming machines were not being routinely enforced here. I ask the Minister to seek assurances from the Minister for Communities that there will be robust oversight and enforcement of the new regulations. It is important to emphasise, as others have, that the APG is not anti-gambling. However, whilst gambling operators here are making significant profits, thousands of people and thousands more families in our communities are suffering from gambling harms. It is only fair therefore that gambling operators pay their fair share to help to prevent and treat that harm through a levy, as provided for in the legislation that we debated at length and voted through in the previous mandate. We were frustrated that that legislation did not go far enough. Many Members expressed that frustration. At the time, we were told by the then Minister that it was due to a truncated mandate. There was a promise that full legislation would come forward in the next mandate that would deal with all the ills. However, here we are again, with a Minister telling us — as he was quoted by Mr McGuigan — that because, again, we have a short mandate, there is not the time to bring forward the all-singing, all-dancing and all-protecting legislation that is required. Therefore, rather than shrugging their shoulders and saying that more needs to be done, some parties need to hold their hands up and say that their actions when they were out of Government, when they were preventing the formation of a Government, and their inaction when they have been in Government have prevented more being done to mitigate gambling-related harms. I am glad that the Minister of Health is here. I ask him to ensure that there is a close working relationship between his Department, the Department for Communities and all other Departments and agencies with responsibility for the issue.

735 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:55 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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