BoyleSports chief warns of 'catastrophic' consequences for Irish racing if proposed advertising ban is enacted

BoyleSports have condemned the Gambling Regulation Bill's proposed advertising watershed as "catastrophic for the horseracing industry in Ireland" and insist that restrictions on inducements and stake limits will "drive more and more consumers to transact with unlicensed operators in the black market".

The bill, which has been in the report stage in Dail Eireann since July, includes a controversial watershed on gambling advertising between 5.30am and 9pm that could render it economically unviable for specialist racing channels to broadcast in Ireland.

BoyleSports CEO Vlad Kaltenieks believes the ambiguous wording of section 141, which provides for the watershed, will prove immensely challenging for the industry, while he predicts that the prohibition on advertising will cause more consumers to sign up to betting sites given this could be their only avenue to watch live racing.

Kaltenieks said: "Many of the proposed restrictions within the bill concerning advertising carry the potential for a domino effect that could impact horseracing sponsorship and the ability for consumers to view Irish horseracing which, when combined, would be catastrophic for the horseracing industry in Ireland.

"The bill suggests a ban on gambling advertising between the hours of 5.30am and 9pm, an issue BoyleSports is comfortable with as it has already been implemented in other jurisdictions including the UK with a small number of key adjustments.

"However, the meaning of 'cause to advertise' goes beyond banning ads from TV or radio and is shrouded in operational and implementation difficulty. Significant media players in the international sphere such as Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing suggest broadcasters won’t be able to screen racing or Premier League football from the UK in case viewers see gambling ads on racecourse or pitchside hoardings.

"How long will organisations continue to invest in sponsoring horseracing events if their brand cannot be seen by the audience? And so, the domino effect begins; losing sponsorship cuts off a huge revenue supply to the horseracing industry.

"If certain channels were to cease broadcasting in Ireland, this could actually force consumers to sign up to betting sites to watch horseracing which would be completely counterproductive to the entire purpose of the bill."

BoyleSports CEO Vlad Kaltenieks: "How long will organisations continue to invest in sponsoring horseracing events if their brand cannot be seen by the audience?"

The impending legislation also provides for a prohibition on inducements, and Kaltenieks added that if the bill was enacted in its current form, this would mark the end of enhanced prices or each-way terms along with promotional free bets.

He said: "Every sector offers some sort of incentive for clients to join and continue to avail of providers' services. Inducements are not specific to sports betting. The way in which the bill is currently written prohibits BoyleSports from offering its consumers an enhanced price on Rory McIlroy for the Masters or Constitution Hill for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, or simply offering a £5 free bet around the Cheltenham Festival.

"BoyleSports appreciates and welcomes the need to look at inducements when it comes to high-risk, higher-spending or vulnerable consumers, but an outright ban on inducements would seriously hamper BoyleSports' ability as a business to acquire and retain consumers and would invariably have the unintended consequence of driving people towards the black market.

"Unlicensed operators in Ireland are a huge threat, not just to BoyleSports and other licensed operators, but to consumers, player safety and to the Irish Exchequer.

"The proposed limits on stakes and winnings will also undoubtedly push consumers to unlicensed operators as gaming stakes cannot exceed €10 and winnings cannot exceed the proposed threshold of €3,000. Why would a consumer use an Irish licensed operator where their winnings are limited when they can have no limits and potentially win more via the black market?"

Kaltenieks also aired his concerns regarding the establishment of a national self-exclusion register, which he argues will only be effective if consumers can exclude themselves from all licensed operators in one go.

"As currently worded in the bill, consumers can self-exclude from 'one or more licensees'. Thus suggesting that a consumer could identify themselves as potentially suffering from gambling-related harm in relation to one brand but still be permitted to transact further with many other licensed operators. BoyleSports would encourage the GRAI [Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland] to look to the UK's GamStop register as a model of good practice in this area.

"BoyleSports welcomes the Gambling Regulation Bill and its central drive to protect children, problem gamblers and the vulnerable, and to set the industry on a firm legislative footing for the future, but the unintended consequences associated with the bill in its current format completely undermines the founding principles of what this bill is setting out to achieve, and as such, needs considerable amendment before passing through all houses of the Oireachtas and becoming law."

Read more here on the Gambling Regulation Bill:

Flutter boss warns of 'spiral of decline' for Irish racing and black market boom if gambling bill is not amended 

Bookmakers fear 'very damaging' black market boom if concessions are banned in Gambling Regulation Bill 

HRI hits back after minister criticises decision to enter new media rights contract in Gambling Bill row 

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