Northern Ireland to review Gaming Laws

The British Government already had plans to overhaul the Northern Ireland Gaming Laws and allow Sunday opening for bookmakers and bingo halls back in 2006 with the changes to be effective in 2008 but with devolution coming back, the changes were never introduced. Now Margaret Ritchie, Northern Irelands Social Development Minister, has announced a review stating that current legislation is “not robust enough to deal with modern gambling”.

She went on to say “Current legislation is old, inflexible and hard to understand and the gambling market has moved on”. “There are new products and new ways of gambling that the current law never envisaged”. “it is in everyone’s interests that the gambling industry is regulated effectively which is why I am initiating this review”.

As might be expected there are different views on the subject with bookmakers agreeing that the laws are antiquated and opening on a Sunday is a good idea; after all, anyone with an internet or telephone account can gamble on a Sunday anyway and those that don’t but want to place a bet will probably go to a pub or club where it can happen illegally. On the other hand Gareth Wallace of the Salvation Army said “ I don’t believe people of Northern Ireland want to gamble on a Sunday”. At onlinecasino.ie we think people should have the choice of what to do. There is no doubt that more and more people are moving to online gambling where they can do want they want in the comfort of their own home and provided that a reputable site is used that fulfils the legislative requirements the best of luck to them.