Vol. 506 No. 2
51 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the terms of reference of the recently announced review of the Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1956; when it will be completed; the steps, if any, being taken to deal with breaches of the Act, particularly in regard to gaming machines in public houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15362/99]
A review of the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 is being carried out by an interdepartmental review group which is expected to report by the end of the year. Its terms of reference are: to review the regulatory environment within which gaming and lottery activities are carried out with particular reference to the 1956 Gaming and Lotteries Act; any other relevant or proposed Irish legislation; and international developments in the gaming and lotteries area; to identify the issues arising from such a review and to make recommendations designed to address these issues in the context of securing a modern regulatory environment while fulfilling necessary social policy objectives; and to furnish a report on the above for consideration by the Minister and by Government by the end of 1999.
Under section 9 of the 1956 Act, gaming is expressly prohibited in licensed premises and I am informed by the gardaí that there have been a total of 203 prosecutions in the years 1997 and 1998 of which 148 have resulted in convictions. The number of prosecutions in respect of licensed premises during the same period was 51.
I am, however, aware of reports that gaming machines are operating openly in some licensed premises and that tokens or credit systems are sometimes used in lieu of cash in the operation of these machines, thereby frustrating prosecutions under the Act.
It is in the light of such enforcement difficulties as well as the broader issues now emerging in this area that I have decided on a comprehensive review of this Act.
