Have you wondered why no casino has been built on Irish soil so far? It is because the government of Ireland strongly opposes any form of gambling under the severe penalty of law. While various projects have been submitted so far, none of them has been approved yet. This is also the case with Richard Quirk’s vision of a large scale casino-hotel complex. If this project had been approved by the government, the massive location would provide over five hundred guest rooms, several golf courses, indoor and outdoor racing tracks for enthusiasts, helipads and even a scaled replica of the White House. This ambitious project promises to be the largest complex of this nature in the entire Europe.
The location that was chosen for this project is the less known Village of Two-Mile Borris, located just nine miles from Thurles. Local people, as well as several independent financial analysts agree that this casino would have a positive influence in putting their small town back on the tourist map. Moreover, it has been estimated that only the construction of this resort would create over one thousand jobs. At the same, this project would create over three thousand permanent jobs in the staff of the casino, as well as benefit several other local businesses. So, why does the government oppose the construction of this casino, since there are so many benefits?
Well, the Irish legal system does not deem any form of casino legal on its territory. The laws are quite strict and it is unlikely that they will be changed anytime soon. Moreover, Quirk’s legal advisors have complained that the administration did not even bother to analyze his proposition and the advantages a casino would present for them and the country’s economy. You may think that this traditional system works well in keeping people from wasting their money on gambling. But is this really true?
The fact of the matter is that, while even online gambling is outlawed in Ireland, the citizens will simply gamble using online casinos from other countries. Online gambling is the loophole in the law, so the legislation in this area does not do anything more than cause minor inconveniences. Furthermore, the country’s budget loses several millions of dollars every year since they cannot tax online gambling facilities in other countries. Moreover, popular voices state that you can find over fifty private membership clubs that provide gambling services in Ireland. Therefore, the strong opposition regarding the construction of the casino is not really justified, is it?
Some people also say that the project has not been given a green light due to the interests of the Gaming and Leisure Association, as that would render the illicit gaming clubs obsolete. Furthermore, the construction inspectors seem to think that the taverns in the area would also be closed once the luxury resort would open his gates. However, bearing in mind that the area is rather poor and the pubs and taverns are not really up to standards, the owners would be better of striking a deal with the casino management. Moreover, the mere fact that the casino would provide decently paid jobs for most of the unemployed locals living from social security is worth the project approval.
What is the legal age for a person to walk into a Betting Shop and put a bet on a horse and where can I find this information.
John.
Hey John,
In Review of the Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956-86 June 2000 edition, you can find the following paragraph:
4.21 Age restrictions
Gambling, as with other forms of potentially addictive activities, is subject to age restrictions. The age limit for the purchase of National Lottery tickets is 18. This also applies to betting with bookmakers either in betting shops or oncourse. Licensed gaming premises, however, are restricted to persons of 16 years or over.
The 1929 Totalisator Act, which governs betting on the tote at racecourses and greyhound tracks places no restriction at all on the age of bettors. We thus have considerable variation in the age controls for the various forms of gambling permitted at present.