THERE ARE 130,000 people with a gambling addiction in Ireland, which is equal to 3.3% of the adult population.

That is according to new findings by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), ahead of a new bill that aims to further regulate the gambling industry.

An additional 7.1% of adults, or 279,000 people, show moderate evidence of problem gambling.

The figure is ten times higher than was found in previous research from 2019.

People with problem gambling, on average, spend more than €1,000 per month on gambling, accounting for 28% of total spending on gambling.

Problem gambling is most common in the 30-39 year age group, and much higher among men with lower educational attainment. Only 2.9% of women and 2.6% of people educated to degree level estimated to have problem gambling.

Two-thirds of respondents with a gambling problem said they wanted to gamble less.

Fianna Fáil TD James Browne, who is Minister of State for Law Reform, said the findings are further evidence of a need for tighter regulations on the industry.

“Reform of gambling legislation, licensing and regulation is a priority for the Government and my Department,” he said.

“The Gambling Regulation Bill 2022, is, at its core, a public health measure aimed at protecting citizens from gambling harm, including younger people and those more vulnerable in our communities.”

The Bill sets out to establish a new, independent statutory body called Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann tasked with oversight of the industry.

The Bill is expected to make its through the Oireachtas within the next few months.

A new licensing regime would further regulate gambling in-person and online, and impose tighter restrictions on gambling advertising, websites and apps.

“This measure will assist in protecting vulnerable people in our society, particularly children, from exposure to excessive gambling advertising and the harms of problem gambling,” Browne said.

A Social Impact Fund has been created to finance ongoing research about gambling and to raise awareness about the dangers of it.

‘More widespread than we thought’

Problem gambling is difficult to measure and it’s often a hidden addiction, so ESRI researchers used various methods to get the most accurate possible findings.

“We are confident that 1-in-30 adults more accurately reflects the true situation than previous estimates,” said Professor Pete Lunn, Head of the ESRI’s Behavioural Research Unit.

“This equates to 130,000 adults with problem gambling in Ireland and suggests that the problem is much more widespread than we thought.”  

The data, collected in August 2023, shows that three-quarters of adults spent money on at least one form of gambling in the month prior to the survey, with a third doing so online.

The most common forms of gambling were lotteries and scratch cards, followed by betting on horses, greyhounds, and other sports. Slot machines and casino gambling, particularly online, were more common among people with problem gambling.

The ESRI research shows that the public does not see people’s character or upbringing as the main reason for problem gambling. Instead, people tend to see the widespread availability of opportunities to gamble and exposure to gambling advertising as the main causes.