The FA of Ireland is "examining its sponsorship arrangements with gambling companies over concerns about the level of addiction among players and supporters," according to Aaron Rogan of the LONDON TIMES. An FAI spokesperson said that work was going on "behind the scenes right now" and that there will be an announcement soon. The FAI's deal, which makes Ladbrokes its official betting partner, is due to end this year and it "may be the last contract the association signs with a bookmaker." Previously, BoyleSports and BragBet were official sponsors of the national team. In June '17, the FA said that it "would be cancelling its multimillion-pound deal with Ladbrokes." The GAA also voted in February to ban all sponsorship from bookmakers. The FAI spokesperson said that "all areas of the association's links to gambling were being looked at" (LONDON TIMES, 8/8).
'DIGNITY DECREE': POKERFUSE reported by a vote of 155 in favor and 125 against, the Italian Senate approved the "Dignity Decree," which, "among other sweeping social changes, places a complete ban on all forms of gambling advertising." A blanket ban is expected to "severely impact the gambling industry, especially the online sector," many gaming operators and industry bodies have stated. There are also "serious concerns that any restriction over licensed operators will lead to growth of unlicensed and black market operators" (POKERFUSE, 8/8).
