Dog tracks lack of underage betting limit /Gambling awareness week/Demo at the Derby.

dublin | animal rights | press release Tuesday September 09, 2008 16:54 by Bernie Wright - Greyhound Action Ireland berniew at esatclear dot ie PO BOX 4734. Dublin.1

Dead Dogs, Gambling and Demos

How ironic that the Irish Greyhound Derby final falls at the end of Gambling Awareness week,( this week).

How many Irish people realise that very young school-going children are freely allowed to bet their pocket money without any legislative protection at Ireland’s Greyhound tracks.

Yes, Irelands TOTE BETTING has no under age limit, leaving kids as young as 4 or 5 years old reaching over the counter at places like Shelbourne Park Greyhound Track to gamble their pocket money away.

DOG TRACKS LACK OF UNDER AGE BETTING LIMIT/GAMBLING AWARENESS WEEK
And….
DEMO AT THE DERBY SATURDAY 13TH SHELBOURNE PARK 7pm.

Yes, Irelands TOTE BETTING has no under age limit, leaving kids as young as 4 or 5 years old reaching over the counter at places like Shelbourne Park Greyhound Track to gamble their pocket money away.
‘Compulsive gambling is a 'hidden addiction', according to Joanna Franklin, an American clinical specialist working in this field. Ms Franklin is also author of the book, Problem Gambling - The Hidden Addiction.She pointed out that 2 - 5% of the adult population has this impulse control disorder, while up to 15% of 12 - 17 year olds also have an uncontrollable urge to gamble.’
"Sports betting, race and dog tracks, casinos, lotteries - gambling is everywhere today and the internet and other technologies now make it very easy to start", she said.
Although we in GAI are mainly concerned with the thousands of Greyhounds who lose their lives for SPORT we are also concerned with the lack of protection for minors at DOG and HORSE tracks.
The Greyhound Industry care about Profit, full stop. It does not care about Children who could quite easily adopt a gambling habit, followed by a life of misery as they try to kick the addiction, Neither do they care about the gentle dogs who are mutilated, drugged, killed and dumped when their winning days are over. We urge the public to wake up to the major problems being perpetrated by the Irish Greyhound Industry under the guise of a ‘fun night out’…. Its not harmless and its not fun for the victims.
Greyhound Action Ireland.
PO Box 4734, Dublin 1.
Bernie Wright, Press Officer, 087 2651720.