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Double or nothing: Browne bets it all on Gambling Regulation Bill

The Minister for Justice’s new bill will introduce spending limits and create a gambling regulator for the first time. But will it have the power to reduce the scourge of gambling addiction in Ireland?

The gambling regulation bill will contain the power, for the first time, to limit how much gamblers can actually gamble. Picture: Inpho

James Browne, the Minister of State for Justice, has seen people who “never even got a parking ticket” being jailed for crimes they committed to feed their gambling addiction.

During his time as a barrister, it always struck him that the people who were being jailed were otherwise honourable members of society.

“I've seen their entire lives destroyed because they were stealing from their employers to pay for their gambling addiction. It was to fuel ...