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The luck of the Irish has been found wanting, as the National Lottery operator seeks approval for a “must be won draw” to be introduced for a controversial jackpot that has remained un-won since June.
Approval of the change “would ensure that such an improbable long wait for a capped jackpot win cannot occur again”, Andrew Algeo, CEO of Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI), told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform and Taoiseach on December 15.
“That would also allow us to provide certainty to Lotto players, as to the latest date on which this record €19m jackpot will be won,” he said.
Algeo was called upon to address the committee after Bernard Durkan TD demanded an investigation into the Irish lottery regulator last month after 48 draws took place without a jackpot winner.
Algeo said the company has been discussing the possible rule change with the regulator and its suppliers since early November, but it is “not a trivial thing to change game rules”.
However, the committee challenged why it had only heard of the possible change now and what the National Lotteries advertising spend has been since the jackpot has been rolling over.
Algeo said PLI would not release its advertising spend as it is “commercially sensitive”.
The PLI CEO also said he would not disclose what cap he would want set for the future number of jackpot rollovers before a “must be won draw” is introduced, which some committee members said should be set in stone, similar to the current UK National Lottery rules.
Since the Lotto jackpot reached its €19m cap on September 29, 27 players have won (Match 5 + Bonus Ball) prizes ranging from €237,394 up to €1,262,603 and 188 have won Match 5 prizes ranging from €22,872 to €35,234, according to the regulator of the National Lottery.
Carol Boate, regulator of the National Lottery, told the Oireachtas committee “statistically unlikely events are part of the nature of games of chance and lotteries”.
Michael McGrath, minister for public expenditure, similarly downplayed the long wait for a jackpot winner, blaming the lack of a winner on the “unpredictable nature” of lottery draws when Durkan first raised his concerns.
Boate assured the committee that independent observers from KPMG attend every draw to ensure that the strict protocols in place are followed to the letter.
“Lotto sales have attained sustained high levels since the record-breaking jackpot was reached and good causes have benefited significantly from this. Approximately €46m has been earned for good causes since the jackpot was last won,” Boate said.
Separately, the spotlight of social media has been shining on Irish football’s relationship with gambling firms after Irish Premier Division champions Shamrock Rovers F.C. announced to their fans they now own a racehorse.
In March, 888 was named as the official sponsor of Shamrock Rovers for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, with the agreement seeing 888sport branding feature on the front of players’ shirts, as well as throughout the team’s stadium.
The horse was gifted to the club by principal partner 888sport as a gesture to celebrate the Dublin team's 19th League of Ireland title.
All prize money won by the horse will go to Shamrock Rovers' charity partners, which Kieran Spellman, VP head of Sport at 888sport, said shows there is a “really good cause at the heart of this campaign”.
However, Shamrock Rovers social media post announcing its “big transfer announcement” was quickly met with hundreds of negative reactions.
Irish charity Extern (formerly Problem Gambling Ireland) said it is a further example of the blurring lines between football and gambling “making it more difficult for young people to differentiate between them”.
Fans are now being asked to name the racehorse as part of a competition.