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10 Jun 12
13:07
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Date Joined:
05 Jan 10
Press Association
Bookmakers are still the number one choice for punters placing bets in Northern Ireland, new research has revealed.
With thousands wagering on the Republic of Ireland and England at Euro 2012, SP shops are four times more popular than online gambling because clients prefer to be paid in cash, according to a survey.
Betting is only responsible for a small proportion of all gambling - eight out of 10 use alternatives like the National Lottery, raffle and scratch cards.
Paul McLean, managing director of McLean's, Northern Ireland's largest independent bookmaking group, said: "Despite a perception of the growth of online betting the majority of punters still prefer to have a flutter in betting offices as many people like to bet and get paid in cash. It is a statistic which indicates there remains a strong rationale for the presence of the betting shop in the high street."
There are around 330 officially recognised bookmaking offices in Northern Ireland with many run by Ladbrokes, William Hill and Paddy Power. But nearly two-thirds of the entire industry is independently owned. Gambling on horse racing and soccer results are the big attraction.
The gambling sector as a whole is struggling due to the economic downturn, the smoking ban, the restrictive nature of Northern Ireland gambling laws and the upsurge in remote gambling, according to a DSD consultation.
Mr McLean said the results identified a preference for local bookmakers compared to multinationals with offices in Northern Ireland.
Almost 700 interviews were conducted as part of the research carried out by Ipsos MORI on behalf of McLean's. To make sure the survey was representative of the Northern Ireland population, quotas were set by age, gender, social class and region.
Social Development Minister Alex Attwood is considering changes to the law, strengthening the regulatory regime while easing restrictions on the industry's development. Bookmakers and licensed bingo clubs cannot open on Sundays. The minister believes permitting this would be sensible, pragmatic and beneficial to the local economy.
The consultation includes proposals to minimise problem gambling, including imposing a levy on the industry, and social responsibility codes of conduct for operators
Bookmakers are still the number one choice for punters placing bets in Northern Ireland, new research has revealed.
With thousands wagering on the Republic of Ireland and England at Euro 2012, SP shops are four times more popular than online gambling because clients prefer to be paid in cash, according to a survey.
Betting is only responsible for a small proportion of all gambling - eight out of 10 use alternatives like the National Lottery, raffle and scratch cards.
Paul McLean, managing director of McLean's, Northern Ireland's largest independent bookmaking group, said: "Despite a perception of the growth of online betting the majority of punters still prefer to have a flutter in betting offices as many people like to bet and get paid in cash. It is a statistic which indicates there remains a strong rationale for the presence of the betting shop in the high street."
There are around 330 officially recognised bookmaking offices in Northern Ireland with many run by Ladbrokes, William Hill and Paddy Power. But nearly two-thirds of the entire industry is independently owned. Gambling on horse racing and soccer results are the big attraction.
The gambling sector as a whole is struggling due to the economic downturn, the smoking ban, the restrictive nature of Northern Ireland gambling laws and the upsurge in remote gambling, according to a DSD consultation.
Mr McLean said the results identified a preference for local bookmakers compared to multinationals with offices in Northern Ireland.
Almost 700 interviews were conducted as part of the research carried out by Ipsos MORI on behalf of McLean's. To make sure the survey was representative of the Northern Ireland population, quotas were set by age, gender, social class and region.
Social Development Minister Alex Attwood is considering changes to the law, strengthening the regulatory regime while easing restrictions on the industry's development. Bookmakers and licensed bingo clubs cannot open on Sundays. The minister believes permitting this would be sensible, pragmatic and beneficial to the local economy.
The consultation includes proposals to minimise problem gambling, including imposing a levy on the industry, and social responsibility codes of conduct for operators
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