‘Parasite lotteries are depriving good causes of money’

ONLINE gambling firms that offer bets on the results of the National Lottery are ‘parasites’ and are taking money away from good causes, the Lotto’s boss has claimed.

Around 30 cent from every euro received by the National Lottery goes towards good causes such as sports clubs and youth and community groups.

But online firms that offer bets on the results of the National Lottery are not required to give anything to good causes – leading the National Lottery’s CEO to call them ‘parasite lotteries’.

Lotto chief executive Dermot Griffin said: ‘The way the National Lottery works is people pay the money into a pool, and it’s a question of which players win it.

‘These offshore operators, they’re using our numbers, they’re using our game structures, but they’re betting against the players so they’re not giving any money to good causes.

‘It is a model that isn’t fair and we think it isn’t in the interest of Irish people as there’s no money going to good causes and these operators can just cherry pick on big jackpots.’

The National Lottery chief said if more people play through these websites instead of the Lotto, then it will take sales from the National Lottery.

‘If we let them take a foothold there’s no doubt they will grow over the years. And there will be more of them coming in, if you allow them, and that will seriously impact revenue for good causes for future years.’

As of March, there were 56 remote bookmaker’s licences approved with 43 of these held by non-residents.

Lottoland, an online betting company, responded to the National Lottery CEO’s comments by saying it does work with the Irish Red Cross.

‘Lottoland offers a new and innovative way for Irish people to enjoy betting on over 30 global lotteries online and on their mobile,’ said Graham Ross, for Lottoland.

‘This adds to variety and choice that consumers have, which is always a good thing.

‘However, given that the National Lottery’s own turnover and profitability have increased in the two years since lotto betting companies received licences in Ireland, the claim that we represent any real threat to the funding of good causes or the sales of the National Lottery is opportunistic and frankly disingenuous.’

The Department of Justice said bet-on-lottery operators

‘Frankly disingenuous’

are licensed by the Revenue under the Betting Act 2015 to operate here.

It said: ‘The department’s involvement in the licensing process is limited to the granting of certificates of personal fitness to “relevant officers” as nominated by the applicant companies.

‘These certificates are granted upon certain “fit and proper” conditions being satisfied and verified by An Garda Síochána.’