Sir, – I heartily welcome the recent letter from Stewart Kenny (July 31st) supporting the earlier proposal from Barry Grant and Maebh Leahy (July 17th) that a portion of the betting duty be allocated to services which deal with gambling-related harm.
However, there is also a very simple way that all internet and mobile-based gambling operators in Ireland could help all users of their services to bet responsibly and maintain control over their betting activity.
I refer to the provision by operators to customers, on their device, of the following information since account inception: total number of bets, total amount staked and total returns.
This information would provide all gamblers with instant, readily accessible knowledge of their total betting activity, with their gambling provider. Such information is already within the domain of all internet-based gambling operators but is currently only being used to manage and restrict that tiny percentage of customers who make a profit from their gambling. – Yours, etc,
RICHARD BURKE,
Ennis, Co Clare.