Senator Paul Daly confident key amendments are being worked on for upcoming Gambling Regulation Bill

Fianna Fail senator and former chairman of Kilbeggan racecourse Paul Daly is confident key amendments will be made to the Gambling Regulation Bill before it comes into force and believes "incidental advertising" like signage will be permitted under the legislation.

The controversial bill, which has been in the report stage in the Dail since July 12 where amendments arising out of the committee stage are being considered, paves the way for the introduction of a watershed that prevents gambling advertising between 5.30am-9pm, which Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing have warned will render their racing coverage in Ireland "economically unviable".

Daly is a senator in Longford-Westmeath, served as chair at Kilbeggan for 14 years and sits on the joint committee on agriculture and the marine, while he also shares the same political party as James Browne, the minister of state in the Department of Justice, who is responsible for drafting the new gambling legislation.

He believes amendments will be forthcoming before the legislation is signed into law and stressed the bill's main aim will be to curb direct advertising.

He said: "I'm fully supportive of the aim of the Gambling Regulation Bill to tackle the issue of problem gambling. There are amendments being worked on with regards to the bill and we have been assured there will be amendments introduced, but right now we are in a bit of a vacuum until we see what they are.

"There's a thought out there that you won't be able to see anything pertaining to bookmakers on the racetrack. The minister has assured us that it does not cover incidental advertising. 

"If a bookmaker is sponsoring a certain race and they have a big sign advertising their brand at the last fence, that's no problem. Commentators can broadcast the odds from the track during coverage and reference market movers. The only thing the watershed is affecting is direct advertising during the ad break on radio or television."

Paul Daly: "We have been assured there will be amendments introduced"

He noted that the prohibition on inducements will focus on those that target customers at risk of addiction rather than price boosts or enhanced each-way terms.

He said: "The section banning inducements will focus on those targeting individuals. For example, if a customer doesn't have a bet for a period of time and they get a message or an email from a bookmaker offering a free bet, that won't be permitted. If a bookmaker wants to pay five places on each-way instead of four, that type of enhancement is not a problem once it's available to everyone."

Daly believes it is crucial racing remains on television for the viability of racetracks throughout Ireland on account of the media rights money they receive.

He said: "It's going to be the racing channel's individual call whether they can adapt to the legislation. The media money is the lifeblood of all the racetracks and the smaller rural tracks would certainly get the biggest hit, but it would be a big issue for the premier tracks too. 

"The media rights money is an integral part of all racetracks, hence why this is such a concern within the industry and we have been working as hard as we have on this to try and come up with a solution."

Read more on the Gambling Regulation Bill here . . .

Ruby Walsh: the racing industry will start to decline if Ireland's Gambling Regulation Bill is enforced 

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

'Legislation is imminent so racing channels and bookmakers must adapt' - TD says Gambling Regulation Bill will move quickly  

The Front Runner is our unmissable email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, the reigning Racing Writer of the Year, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content.