Irish Horseracing Industry Appealing for Advertising Ban Amendment

A trio of Irish horseracing organizations are calling on the country’s government to amend proposed legislation that is looking to ban all betting sites from advertising via daytime television.

Although it has yet to be passed into law, the Gambling Regulation Bill contains a provision that would prohibit betting providers from pushing their wares on television between 5:30am and 9:00pm. 

Proponents of the restriction argue that the move is part of a campaign to help reduce the prevalence of problem gambling in Ireland by limiting children’s exposure to such marketing.

Significant Apprehension

However, local horseracing groups have hit back by stating that the planned embargo could have the unintended consequence of endangering the future of an industry that is annually worth approximately €2.46 billion ($2.66 billion) and currently employs some 30,000 locals.

Horseracing-focused broadcaster Racing TV, which recently renewed its deal to continue screening Irish contests, claimed that the proposed daytime ban on betting advertising could hit its viability and ultimately threaten its coverage of the sport in Ireland.

The industry is worried that any such loss of programming would decimate the revenues local racecourses earn from media rights while simultaneously deterring owners from staying with the sport or purchasing additional horses.

Elite Exposure

Regina Byrne, General Manager of the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners, stated that many of her group’s members are not Irish and so rely on television to see their horses run. 

She pointed out that her organization’s domestic partners are additionally often unable to attend races due to work or other commitments.

“We’re talking about more than 30,000 jobs here and €240 million ($260 million) in training fees annually,” Byrne, said. “And that’s not counting the other quarter of a billion that they are spending on buying the horses in the first place.”

Alteration Appeal

The industry wants Irish parliamentarians to amend the Gambling Regulation Bill so as to exclude specialist channels such as Racing TV from the proposed daytime advertising ban.

Paul Hensey, Chief Executive for the Association of Irish Racecourses, declared that the United Kingdom and Australia already operate such loopholes and any failure to act could negatively impact Irish racecourse finances as a large number of owners pull out.

Existing Barrier

The Chief Executive of the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, Ryan McElligott, asserted that subscribers to Racing TV are already required to prove that they are at least 18, which rules out easy access for children.

“I would like to think that satisfies any of the concerns about this,” McElligott said.

The three organizations said that they support the ultimate aims of the Gambling Regulation Bill but believe that the current wording of the proposed gambling advertising ban could result in unintended negative consequences. 

They furthermore pointed out that there is still time to address these potential problems so as to not irreparably harm the many rural Irish economies where racehorses are bred, trained and sold.