Developments in the Gambling Area: Emerging trends and issues supporting the development of policy and legislation in Ireland

This report provides a summary of literature which has been published on developments in gambling since 2013, in addition to an analysis of the responses from consultation with gambling industry stakeholders and experts. The aims of the report are to highlight emerging trends and developments in gambling since 2013, with a focus on the following specific areas: international legislation, gambling industry mergers, services provided to problem gamblers and gambling technology.Examination of gambling legislation internationally looked at how international legislation has been dealing with emerging issues such as online gambling, sports betting, harm reduction, problem gambling and advertising.Gambling industry mergers, which have become increasingly common in recent years, are discussed with regard to the reasons for these mergers.Services which are available both in Ireland and internationally for problem gamblers  2and those affected by problem gambling were also examined. Issues which have arisen include service providers which are funded by the gambling industry itself and the usage levels of gambling services online versus land-based gambling support services as well as a lack of support services for families affected by problem gambling.The review of technological developments in the gambling industry covers both online gambling developments and land-based technological developments. New research into the risks of both online gambling and machine based gambling as well as aspects necessary for successful use of pre-commitment systems in managing the risks associated with both are summarised. The emergence and popularity of social media and social media gaming, and how the gambling industry is embracing this technology, was a common theme in much of the literature surrounding online gambling. An important factor that is looked at is the blurring of lines between online gambling and social media games which simulate gambling. This is a continually evolving area and as such requires monitoring.