'The beginning of the end' - more than 40 trainers raise concerns about impending Gambling Regulation Bill

Concern is growing within the Irish racing industry at the impending Gambling Regulation Bill and over 40 Wexford-based trainers and point-to-point handlers have expressed their distress to their local Teachta Dala (TD) and minister for state at the Department of Justice this week.

The legislation, which is at the report stage in Dail Eireann where amendments are being considered, proposes a drastic ban on gambling advertising. It would introduce a new watershed, where the advertising would not be allowed between 5.30am and 9pm.

It would in effect deny any adverts on live horseracing coverage during daytime hours, and has led to Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing threatening to pull their coverage as they insist that their service would "cease to be viable in Ireland".

In written correspondence sent to James Browne, who has served as Wexford TD since 2016 and at the Department of Justice as minister for state since September 2020, it noted that racing yards in Wexford support close to 400 full and part-time employees and have been responsible for the sale of horses to the value over €45 million in the last two years. 

While the trainers asserted their wholehearted support for regulation protecting the vulnerable, they conveyed deep concern of the damaging impact such a ban would have on the industry, their livelihoods and ability to employ.

Multiple Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Paul Nolan, who is based in Wexford, said: "It is a major concern. At the end of the day, if that bill is passed in its current form then it will be very detrimental for Irish racing. There has to be concern regarding vulnerable people but it has to be dealt with in the proper way.

"More thought will have to go into it because if the sponsorship from bookmakers is gone and Irish racing is not shown here on television, then I think it's the beginning of the end for the sport. There has to be some sort of a compromise or an awful lot of people will lose employment. 

"There has to be a far more in depth look into it to find a happy medium. We all feel that if this bill is passed as it is now, it can't work and it will cause thousands upon thousands of people to become unemployed."

Their concerns have been backed by the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association and their chief executive Ryan McElligott echoed Nolan's sentiments.

"If Racing TV determined it was no longer viable to broadcast in Ireland then Irish racing disappears off our screens. That would be detrimental to the whole industry," said McElligott.

"There's plenty of owners who don't get to go racing as much as they would like, but it's very easy to watch their horses run should they not make it. If you take that away, I think that would put a huge dent in the sport's appeal and also demand from an owner's point of view. It would put us at a huge disadvantage when compared to other jurisdictions."

He added: "We're talking about subscription channels and it is a requirement that you are over the age of 18 to buy a subscription to a package like Racing TV. These dedicated racing channels exist behind a paywall, so there is already a safeguard there.

"Every facet of the industry is wholly supportive of gambling regulation which protects vulnerable people. This is not a deliberate move to damage the sport, this would be an unintended consequence. It is hugely concerning not only for the industry within Wexford, but for the industry across the country."

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