A research paper produced jointly by four Irish universities has criticised the way the National Lottery is portrayed in the country, arguing that an overly positive narrative around it is downplaying gambling harm.
Published by the Technological University of the Shannon, Limerick; the University of Limerick and University College Cork in the Republic of Ireland, and Queen’s University of Belfast in Northern Ireland, the report takes a strong tone from the start.
This is seen in its title – ‘Complicit in the Charade: A critical content analysis of the Annual Reports of Ireland’s Regulator of the National Lottery 2014-2024’. The report cites the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland view that gambling is a ‘major public health concern’ in Ireland, and argues that lotteries play a big part in this.
The researchers’ main point of contention is the way the Irish National Lottery is framed – the universities collectively argue that the Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery (ORNL) frames the lottery ‘as a game to be played’ while focusing heavily on the returns to good causes it generates.
“The term gambling and its variations are barely mentioned, while the terms addict and addiction never feature,” the research states. “This serves to present an overwhelmingly positive and sanitised image of the National Lottery and effectively hides the darker side of gambling.
“The ORNL is charged with not only managing and protecting the long-term viability and sustainability of the National Lottery, but also with protecting the interests of participants. A vital first step in such protection is to acknowledge that participation in the lottery is gambling and that gambling can lead to gambling harm and addiction.”
Lotteries and public health
Gambling has taken its place as a political issue in Ireland, with an Act passed in 2024 setting up a new regulator, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), charged with overseeing the sports betting and gaming sectors.
The ORNL maintains its regulatory remit over the National Lottery, which is operated by Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI), which has in turn been owned by FDJ United since the French group purchased PLI for €350m (£303.5m) in July 2023.
Player protection has been one of the key focuses of the gaming regulation. However, some felt that the regulation did not go far enough, particularly around marketing, and the researchers of the four universities clearly feel that the lottery space has not been given enough attention.
The researchers cite data estimating that the Irish gambling industry is worth over €10bn annually while the National Lottery is ‘estimated to be worth approximately €1bn’. The researchers argue that this should warrant a discussion about the lottery’s place within gambling, and the potential impacts it has on health.
However, in the Irish National Lottery’s defence, lottery products have been cited as much lower risk than other gambling products like sports betting and particularly casino games by other pieces of research, such as those conducted by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).
There may be more room for discussion around scratch cards though, as well as the growing number of lotteries offering e-Instant games. Researchers in Ireland clearly seem to think so.
“At present the actions of the ORNL, as evidenced through these reports, appear to prioritise economics over participant protection,” the research concluded.
“A public health perspective towards gambling needs to be explicitly adopted by both Government and the ORNL in relation to gambling. Further research examining other communications by the ORNL should be conducted to explore how the threats posed by gambling are framed.”
Update – in response to the univerisites’ research the Regulator of the National Lottery issued the following statement:
“In relation to the Annual Report of the Regulator of the National Lottery, it is important to note that this is a corporate governance document published alongside the C&AG audited accounts of the National Lottery Fund held in the Central Bank and managed and controlled by the Regulator. The language in the Report mirrors the language used in the Act and the Licence. A core function of the Regulator is to ensure that the terms of the licence are being met.
“The Regulator must also ensure that all funds raised for Good Causes are correctly transferred to the State. In addition, the Regulator has overseen the introduction of new measures to prevent underage purchase and/or problem gambling each year since the start of the Licence. The Regulator’s website – www.rnl.ie – relaunched in 2023 has a prominent section on Player Protection including Preventing Problem Gambling.”