Ahern rejects complete ban as phenomenon is global

INTERNET GAMBLING:A COMPLETE ban on internet gambling was ruled out by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.

He said that it was an international phenomenon.

"We have not been able to ban pornographic material across the internet," he added.

"Try as we might at national, EU and international level, it simply has not been possible." The Minister was replying to Michael D'Arcy (FG, Wexford) who said Mr Ahern had published a report but had not tackled the problem.

"Is the Minister aware of the extent of internet gambling . . . I know that the number of young men participating in internet gambling is astonishing," Mr D'Arcy added.

"It is being carried out in the privacy of homes and even work. The Minister needs to deal with it.'' He added that, in 2006, the UK had regulated internet gambling while the US had banned it.

Mr Ahern said that while Mr D'Arcy had claimed the UK and the US had taken action, internet gambling was still going on in those countries.

He added that while there was an excellent report available, he had asked all political parties to participate in a committee to come up with recommendations on an agreed basis.

The Government would act based on the committee's report, said Mr Ahern.

Pressed on the issue by Labour justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte, the Minister said he accepted that the existing legislation dated back to 1956.

"It behoves the Oireachtas as a group to try to regulate this area, where significant changes have occurred for which we have not legislated," he added.

"To a certain extent, we have tended to veer away from them because they are difficult issues in the context of dealing with gaming, gambling, betting, horse racing and all of the other ways in which betting takes place."

To the best of his recollection, Mr Ahern added, it was fair to state that all of the new casino-type venues had been visited by gardaí.

However, as of yet they had not come across anything which warranted prosecution under the existing legislation.