Editorial: Self-regulation has failed to bring the bookmakers to heel

As fresh revelations come to light about Paddy Power’s business practices, it’s time for the lax existing laws to be tightened up

The advent of online gambling and massive marketing budgets has transformed the sector, but Ireland’s laws are still in the dark ages.

Last month, Paddy Power’s owner Flutter Entertainment became the biggest indigenous Irish company when its market capitalisation hit €29.9 billion.

The recent revelations in the London High Court of how Paddy Power staff referred to a customer betting more than £500,000 in a single day as a “wild man”, but did not see any reason to check if he was in control of his actions, should give pause for thought on how that company makes ...