Although casinos are not authorized in Ireland, betting and games of chance hold an important place in the culture of this nation and have been specifically authorized for decades. The country has a long-standing tradition of horse and dog racing, as well as betting on the results of these events. The National Lottery Act, 1986 provides for a monopolistic national lottery, but other forms of lotteries existed long before. The law even provides for the issuance of government securities – called «prize bonds» – which entitle the holder to participate in regular drawings for prizes in lieu of interest.
Definitions
«Gaming» means playing a game (whether of skill or chance or partly of skill and partly of chance) for stakes hazarded by the players;
Lottery
– Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956:
«lottery» includes all competitions for money or money’s worth involving guesses or estimates of future events or of past events the results of which are not yet ascertained or not yet generally known;
– National Lottery Act 1986:
- 1 «lottery game» means any game, competition or other procedure in which or whereby prizes (whether money prizes or otherwise) are distributed by lot or chance among persons participating in the game, competition or other procedure.
– National Lottery Act 1986:
«the National Lottery» means any lottery game or combination of lottery games held by the Minister or held under a licence in accordance with the rules contained in a scheme under section 28 (1) of this Act in relation to that game or each of those games.
Machine Gambling Outside Casinos
– Totalisator Betting Act 1926
- 1. the word «totalisator» means an apparatus or organisation by means of which an unlimited number of persons can each stake money in respect of a future event on the terms that the amount to be won by the successful stakers is dependent on or to be calculated with reference to the total amount staked by means of the apparatus or organisation in relation to that event but not necessarily on the same contingency, and the said word includes all offices, tickets, recorders, and other things ancillary or incidental to the working of the apparatus or organisation, the word «bet» includes wager, and cognate words shall be construed accordingly;
– Totalisator Act 1929
the word «totalisator» it means an apparatus or organisation by means of which an unlimited number of persons can each stake money in respect of a future event on the terms that the amount to be won by the successful stakers is dependent on or to be calculated with reference to the total amount staked by means of the apparatus or organisation in relation to that event but not necessarily on the same contingency, and the said word includes all offices, tickets, recorders, and other things ancillary or incidental to the working of the apparatus or organisation.
Charity Gambling
Definition of «Charitable Lottery»:
(a) it shall be for some charitable or philanthropic purpose or purposes;
(b) the licensee shall derive no personal profit from it;
(c) the total value of the prizes on any occasion shall be not more than five hundred pounds, and, if more than one lottery is held in any week, the total value of the prizes for the week shall be not more than five hundred pounds;
(d) the value of each prize shall be stated on every ticket or coupon;
(e) not more than forty per cent. of the gross proceeds shall be utilised for the expenses of promotion, including commission, and any free entry for the lottery shall be deemed to be a payment of commission to the extent of its value.
© European Union
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