Is regulated online gambling on its way to Northern Ireland? If it was up to the people of Northern Ireland, then the answer yes. Oh, and they’d also like the opportunity to freely gamble at land-based casinos on Sundays if that’d be all right with everyone. Those are just a couple of the conclusions that can be drawn from an extensive public comment and review that was recently conducted by the Northern Ireland’s Department for Communities (DfC).
The survey was done as part of a broader effort by the DfC to find out exactly what direction regulated wagering should take in the country. In general, the answer was that gambling should be greatly expanded and that online gambling should be a big part of that expansion.
Titled, “Consultation on regulation of gambling in Northern Ireland” the consultation was started back in December and covers a lot of ground. Specifically, the report found that 54 percent of respondents are in favor of creating licensing and regulation of online gambling. That’s a fancy way of saying they favor online gambling because it’s currently illegal in Northern Ireland.
A more popular stance was a movement towards Sunday gambling. The study found that 60 percent of respondents want Sunday to be a day both for the Lord and gambling. That number jumped up to 65 percent when bingo halls were thrown into the mix.
Though reading too much into the study might not be all that effective. Only about 385 people actually completed the online survey, so there’s plenty of room for error.