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Niall McNamee and Oisin McConville at today's launch. INPHO/Cathal Noonan

'It is becoming a growing concern' - GAA releases gambling guidelines

Two booklets have been produced in the hope of informing members about addiction and match-fixing.

THE GAA AND Gaelic Players Association today released a set of guidelines in the hope of educating its members about gambling.

In recent years, a number of high profile inter-county players including Offaly’s Niall McNamee and former Armagh forward Oisin McConville have spoken out about their gambling addictions with the GPA confirming that a third of the calls made to their helpline service are gambling-related.

Speaking at today’s launch of two booklets to be distributed nationwide, GAA president Liam O’Niall explained that next to depression, gambling is seen as the second highest problem affecting GAA members.

“Problem gambling is becoming a growing concern in modern Ireland,” O’Neill said.

“As part of the GAA’s on-going work in the area of health and wellbeing, the Association felt it timely to produce this booklet of basic guidelines as an educational resource for our players, members, and clubs.

This document aims to assist GAA members in identifying what problem gambling is and to encourage those who may be experiencing a difficulty to seek support and assistance.

“It also highlights the strict regulations and consequences – both within GAA rule and the broader laws of the land – regarding match-fixing or the use of insider information for the financial gain of the individual or team concerned, or any third parties involved.”

You can download the guidelines here

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    Mute Conor Fitzpatrick
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:30 PM

    Gambling is an addiction its not like the likes of niall mcnamee or oisin mconville decided that they wanted to blow a couple of hundred grand at the bookies . Im sure they would have preferred to spend that money on a car or a house .if it was so simple just to stop then why is gambling such a major problem , go into a bookies in any town or city in ireland any day of the week & theres always a good crowd in there . a normal person with no addiction problem knows when to stop but a gambler like an alcoholic has no self control over these addictions . Its good to see the gaa helping guys who have problems & having somewhere to reach out if they need help .the worrying thing about gambling in ireland is the amount of young people (18-25) who are regular gamblers .if the likes of mcnamee & mconville just get the message out there that gambling can be a problem & for lads to wary of the problems it can cause then its a campaign well worth the GAA backing .

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    Mute Limerick Soviet
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    Jan 27th 2014, 9:40 PM

    People who gamble need to stop and think, what exactly is it they want to win, the price of a house? a car? a holiday? because that’s not going to happen.

    I’ve seen people gamble thousands in bookies and then their mission the next day is to try and get it back, if they hadn’t gambled the first day they wouldn’t be in the mess they get themselves into.

    Gambling is all about the buzz, find a better buzz that doesn’t destroy your life.

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    Mute Niall Mullins
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    Jan 28th 2014, 2:17 AM

    So you’ve been in the bookies then Soviet?

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    Mute Alan Tormey
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:18 PM

    I bet ya it won’t work

    35
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    Mute Brian Moynihan
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    Jan 27th 2014, 9:44 PM

    About time the gaa released gambling guidelines,from what I’ve seen most them are terrible at it

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    Mute Patricia Ann McCarthy Moore
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    Jan 27th 2014, 9:33 PM

    That is totally crazy. The GAA promote gambling. They even have their own lottery.

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    Mute gerry campbell
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:17 PM

    I bet ya nothing comes out of it.

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    Mute JamieKay
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:33 PM

    Patricia do you not know you’re not supposed to bad mouth the GAA here you’ll get red thumbed

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:01 PM

    Patrica is right the GAA do promote gambling and also they pay the managers but wont admit it and every one knows it but yet they still call the game amateur.

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    Mute JamieKay
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    Jan 28th 2014, 6:10 AM

    Only thing amateur about the GAA is the players not getting paid.everyone else is making money of these players

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    Mute Shane O'Donnell
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    Jan 28th 2014, 7:14 AM

    Generalise much?

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    Jan 28th 2014, 12:05 PM

    The booklet is promoting responsible gambling…. Where’s the issue?

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    Mute Mac an tSabhasaigh
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    Jan 28th 2014, 12:10 AM

    Geez, slag the GAA no matter what! There’s a fair difference between a club lottery than squandering tens of thousands! Read McConville’s book and you get a decent insight. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t but in recent years the GAA has promoted help for depression,alcohol, road safety and a few more. You cannot knock that.

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    Mute Shane O'Donnell
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    Jan 28th 2014, 7:15 AM

    Don’t try & talk sense to trolls, rule #1 of the score.ie

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    Mute Ray O Sullivan
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    Jan 28th 2014, 12:32 AM

    What a load of bees wax …gaa stick to the sport …what are the odds on the dubs this year

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    Mute Lashes
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    Jan 28th 2014, 2:13 AM

    Is match fixing a problem within the GAA, you can bet on intermediate championship games in most counties. A lot of stories flying round the place

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    Mute Paul Twomey
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    Jan 28th 2014, 6:36 AM

    Yawn

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    Mute Niall Mullins
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    Jan 28th 2014, 2:15 AM

    What are the odds?

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    Mute Lena Duncan
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    Jan 28th 2014, 6:27 AM

    Gaa used to b a fun community sport now its politics.too much going on behind the scenes that’s NVR investigated.its a joke.

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    Jan 28th 2014, 12:02 PM

    Like what?

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