Most sites offering online betting in Ireland are not checking identity or conducting proper age verification, a recent study has found.
The study was conducted by psychiatrist Colin O’Gara, head of addiction services at Saint John of God Hospital in Dublin and results were in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.
The study found few consumer protections are in place for Irish gamblers and that most online gambling companies—both local and international—do not include a proper age verification process when a new gambling account is being opened.
The study reviewed the 39 most popular gambling websites in Ireland and found that 37 of those sites did not require any proof of identity from customers to open an account with them and gamble.
The study also reviewed responsible gambling tools that were in place at the sites and found that of all 17 Irish and 22 non-Irish websites surveyed, the Irish ones featured poorer protections for vulnerable customers.
Several Irish legislators, responding to the results, said the country must end its impasse on passing tougher gambling laws. The country has been discussing revamping its laws for more than a decade, but so far, no new legislations or regulations have been proposed.
