Published on 15th June 2016 by Becky Mosley

It has been announced that Paddy Power will cease to take bets on sports matches that are played by under 18s. Up until recently, the bookmaker offered odds on several under 18 games, but this is no longer considered a desirable service by some influential figures.

Eliminate Wagering On Youth Games

The Irish Times, a prominent newspaper in Ireland, has reported that Boylesports will no longer take bets on under 18 games. Boylesports is Paddy Power’s biggest competitor, so the move by both organisations will effectively eliminate most wagering on youth games in Ireland.Paddy Power said that they have a history of offering bets on under 18 sports events in Ireland, and that this service had ‘never come up as a contentious issue before’. The sports betting giant went on to say that they were simply meeting the ‘demand’ for betting on these events made by some customers.

‘May Cause Disappointment’

The decision to ban betting on under 18 sports fixtures at Paddy Power was made as the result of the reservations of some influential groups in Ireland, such as the Gaelic Players Association. Paddy Power has declared that ‘customers may be disappointed…but we understand there is a general concern around the issue so we have responded’.The Gaelic Players Association (GPA) is the group that looks after the interests of sports people who play in Gaelic Athletics Association (GAA) competitions. They are pleased with Paddy Power’s choice regarding betting on youth fixtures, especially because there is an issue with gambling problems among GAA players.

Gambling Addiction Getting Worse

The GPA has said that being addicted to gambling had become an ongoing problem with some football and hurling players, and that the problem is getting worse. They said that, in 2015, there was ‘the highest growth in numbers presenting with gambling addiction’. The GPA have been concerned about the personal cost of a gambling problem for individuals, and about the cost to the sports themselves.