The GAA has expressed concern about a photo showing a young boy waving a betting slip at a GAA club fundraiser but has indicated that it won’t intervene to stop club fundraisers at gambling venues.
The troubling image, taken in November at a Bandon GAA fundraiser at Curraheen Park greyhound track in Cork, has since been removed from Facebook where it was originally posted.
Representatives from Bandon GAA had commented on the image as follows:
- "The emotions"
- "He thought he would come home loaded"
Another photo showed children who are described as "a couple of our lucky dog nominator prize winners from last night".
“Does the GAA share our concerns about local GAA clubs introducing its young members to gambling?” ICABS enquired in an email to GAA Head Office. “Do you agree that it is inappropriate for club fundraisers to be held at gambling venues?”
In response, a GAA spokesperson stated: “The GAA's position on gambling has drawn approval nationally and internationally, particularly our move early this year to prohibit the sponsorship by a betting firm of any GAA competition, team, gear or property. That doesn't extend to GAA clubs using a trip to a dog racing venue as a source of vital fundraising.”
“Your email does raise concerns about the venue allowing minors engage in betting and we will raise these concerns with both the venue and the club,” he added. “The decision of a club to allow juveniles attend any external club event such as this must be based on parental or guardian permission and we will make sure this protocol was adhered to in this case.”
This is a disappointing response. The GAA has a duty to protect its young members from exposure to a gambling environment which, on the night, is positively presented but is in fact part of the problem gambling culture which is feeding into Ireland's growing gambling addiction crisis.
Speaking on the Sean O'Rourke Show on RTE Radio 1 in November, Professor Colin O'Gara, Head of Addiction Services at St John of God Hospital in Dublin expressed concerns about underage gambling. During a discussion about the introduction of early morning greyhound racing to Ireland, he was asked if there has been an increase in children gambling and if "there are signs that there are more children gambling in a more dangerous way". Professor O'Gara replied: "Absolutely. The suggestion from studies is that the rate of adolescent gambling is about three times higher."
ACTION ALERT
Join us in renewing an appeal to the GAA to take a stand and direct its member clubs to reject greyhound racing.
Email: queries@gaa.ie
Leave a comment on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/officialgaa
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Please also urge the government to stop giving millions of euros of taxpayers’ money to the horse and greyhound racing gambling industries (€84 million for 2019, bringing the total since 2001 to over one billion euros) and instead redirect it to sports clubs, health groups, animal rescue centres and other deserving causes.
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2
Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie
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Paschal Donohoe TD
Minister for Finance
Email: paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie, minister@per.gov.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1 6045810
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