FAI asks government for part of gambling tax to help clear €70m debt

Football body says that because of large proportion of bets made on football, sport should benefit from the tax

Republic of Ireland play Bulgaria in a friendly at the Aviva Stadium: ‘The gambling industry has worked particularly hard to create a strong link in our minds between major sports events and betting’, according to senator Mark Wall INPHO/James Crombie

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has told the government it wants a cut of the money raised from gambling tax as part of its efforts to clear around €70 million in debt.

Representatives from the cash-strapped sporting body met with Jack Chambers, a junior minister in the Department of Justice, on February 4 and appealed for some of the money generated from the betting tax to be made available. The FAI argued that because ...