MLAs, TDs and sportspeople unite to raise awareness of harm related to gambling and gambling marketing in sport
Teams of cross party and cross border politicians today united on the football pitch to play in The Big Step five-a-side tournament aimed at highlighting the proliferation of gambling advertising in sport and growing exposure of young people to harmful marketing.
Putting their best foot forward on the pitch to show solidarity and underscore a united call for urgent action were Philip McGuigan MLA, Robbie Butler MLA, Stephen Dunne MLA, Justin McNulty MLA representing the Assembly and Frank Feighan TD, Brian Brennan TD, Aidan Farrelly TD, Ruairí Ó Murchú TD, Joanna Byrne TD and Darren O'Rourke TD representing the Oireachtas. They were joined by players from the Big Step campaign, Professional Footballers Associations Northern Ireland and Ireland, Gaelic Players Association and Rugby Players Ireland.
Hailed as a success by the organisers, the tournament was supported by the Northern Ireland Assembly’s All Party Group (APG) on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling and Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Northern Ireland.
Back row, from left: Robbie Butler MLA (UUP), Darren O’Rourke TD (Sinn Féin), Stephen Dunne MLA (DUP), Frank Feighan TD (Fine Gael), Justin McNulty MLA (SDLP), Joanna Byrne TD (Sinn Féin), Philip McGuigan MLA (Sinn Féin), Brian Brennan TD (Fine Gael).
Font row, from left: James Gould (Cool FM), Aidan Farrelly TD (Social Democrats), Finn McGrath (APG secretariat), Ruairí O Murchú TD (Sinn Féin)
Northern Ireland is now the only jurisdiction on these islands without updated gambling legislation in the internet era. While there is insufficient legislative time in this Assembly mandate to progress a gambling bill, campaigners are urging the UK Government to act.
Under existing powers, Westminster could introduce restrictions on gambling advertising similar to those in the Republic of Ireland, shielding children from being bombarded with marketing during sports broadcasts and protecting those already experiencing gambling harm from being aggressively targeted online.
Philip McGuigan MLA, Chair of the APG on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling, said: “Everyone has a casino in their pocket through their smartphones. It is more important than ever that we highlight the dangers of gambling advertising in soccer. The English Premier League is hugely popular here, and the gambling logos on shirts, stadium billboards, and TV adverts are relentless. This needs to be significantly reduced to address the public health gambling epidemic we currently face.”
Michael Carvill, Chief Executive of Professional Football Players Northern Ireland, added: “Football is a game we all love, but the amount of gambling advertising around it has reached a level we feel is unhealthy. As the PFA, we believe there should be a sensible reduction in gambling promotion within the game to help protect players, fans, and especially young people from potential harm.
We support campaigns that aim to create a safer environment for everyone involved in football, and we encourage the game’s stakeholders to work together to find a balanced approach that prioritises wellbeing.”
The Big Step is a campaign run by Gambling With Lives to end all gambling advertising and sponsorship in football led by people harmed by gambling. A spokesperson for the Big Step said: “Gambling advertising in sport is unhealthy, unpopular, and needs to go to protect a generation of young fans. That’s why we are proud to stand on the pitch today with like-minded partners and support the growing call for urgent action to end the obscene amount of harmful gambling marketing in football.”
Although lots of goals were scored, the serious work continues off the pitch as The APG is urging the British Government to take positive steps towards restricting the promotion of gambling and act on the Labour Party’s manifesto commitment to reduce gambling-related harm.
