ALMOST FOUR IN 10 people who sign up for online horse or sports betting go on to gamble on other products, new research by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) has found. 

The study, which sought to provide an insight into gambling habits across Ireland, is based on an anonymous online survey of 1,000 gamblers aged 18 and over from across the country.

Speaking at the launch of the report, Anne Marie Caulfield, chief executive of the GRAI, noted that the study was “the most detailed picture yet of gambling in Ireland”.

The research found that 77% of gambling takes place online, while 59% takes place in person.

A significant finding was the high percentage of people who shift from one form of gambling to another.

For example, it found that people who opened an online account to bet on horses or sports then expanded into other forms such as casino games or slots.

80% of gamblers in Ireland have at least one online account while 10% were found to have four or more accounts.

Flexibility was shown as the biggest reason for opening an online account, along with offers and advertising.

Head of the ESRI’s Behavioural Research Unit Pete Lunn said, “There’s a clear suggestion here that there’s quite a lot of marketing influence in terms of the reasons people first open an account”.

One in seven respondents said that their most recent online gambling session followed an email, app notification or gambling advertisement, while one in five said they received notifications every day.

Lunn added that the research highlighted how easily gamblers could open online accounts, compared with the greater difficulties involved in closing them or withdrawing winnings. 

Oisín McConville, who has battled gambling addiction, told the event that the issue of multiple online betting accounts was one he could personally relate to.

“I was somebody who went from one bookmaker to the next; I would never want one bookmaker to think, well, he’s got a gambling issue,” McConville said.

He also highlighted how online advertising can undermine recovery from gambling addiction, with “enticing offers” to draw people in. 

“A heavily stigmatised” condition

One in four people surveyed said they were trying to reduce their gambling or planned to do so.

However, of those already trying to cut back, one in three reported that they were gambling the same amount or more than they had one year earlier. 

Colin O’Gara, head of addiction services at St John of God Hospital, said that this finding was “a critical idea in terms of treatment services for people”. 

“There are not enough treatment services in this country for people who suffer from gambling addiction, particularly because of stigma. This is a condition which is heavily stigmatised”, O’Gara maintained.

He added that in “every sample that we look at, in terms of gambling harm in Ireland, there’s considerable harm out there”. 

Gambling was found to affect other parts of everyday life, with work and family being the most frequently reported. 

McConville recalled that “I don’t know how this has happened, but it’s managed to affect every aspect of my life, and especially the things that I really hold dear”. 

What is being done to regulate online gambling?

Ireland is currently overhauling its gambling laws through the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, which established the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) to oversee the industry and strengthen consumer protections.

The legislation introduces a licensing system for online gambling operators, prohibits the use of credit cards for betting, and provides for spending limits and restrictions on gambling advertising.

It also introduces a national self-exclusion register for people wishing to stop gambling.

In addition, there is a Social Impact Fund to support research, education, prevention and treatment of gambling addiction.

However, while the new regulatory framework is being rolled out, several key measures are still awaiting implementation.

The GRAI said it had issued 41 licences, covering 98% of the online betting market, with licensing for in-person betting due to follow on 1 December 2027.

Its next focus will be the licensing of both online and in-person gaming operators.

Caulfield noted that the mission is to ensure “an informed public is protected from gambling harms, and we are deeply committed to achieving that”.