The Luck of the Irish: Are They Really as Lucky as They Make Out?

Ireland holds vast riches and beauty known to many throughout the world, however the way the Irish gamble will give you more detailed insight about them.

Ever since the inception of time, man has wagered on whatever he can convert into a cash prize. Betting on himself throwing a stone further than his opponent or betting on just simply drinking more of a home-made brew than his pal, gambling can be considered a tradition.

Like many other nations on the globe, Ireland practices gambling. However gambling, in this country, can be synonymous with drinking, at times.
What is really astonishing is the amount of money that people put into gambling-related activities.
The most popular games are classified into six gambling activities: casino-style table gaming, gaming machines, remote gaming, bingo, sports and other betting and finally lottery.

Online gambling popular with opposite sex as well

Recently, women in Ireland have been gambling to a far greater degree than before. Although women are often said to be far shrewder with money than their male counterparts, gambling addiction has nevertheless managed to hit the smarter of the sexes.

Online gambling is the means by which woman choose to play with their money, and eventually lose.
It has been reported that up to one in five, or 20 percent, of people that seek gambling addiction help from the Rutland Centre charity in Dublin, are women.
Several years prior, the same institution virtually treated solely men, while women accounted for a mere four percent of the total patients.

The director from the institution, Fiona Weldon, claims that everything is a lot more accessible to people in general now. She laments that there are a wide array of mobile casinos that offer a range of services.

“There’s online bingo, poker and casinos and it’s all so accessible and it’s these activities that the women with gambling addictions who we’ve seen tend to do. It’s there at the click of a button on your phone or on the internet.“

Attracta Canny, co-director of Hope House in Foxford, argues that gambling is different from other forms of addiction. She states, “with alcohol and drugs, you can see and smell it. Gambling is hidden.”

Poker – popular playing pastime

Easy game for easy players. Not only is poker the most common card game in Ireland, it also serves as a host to poker tournaments. The Irish Open is one of the major tournaments that poker enthusiasts can participate in.

One-off poker games nights take place in Ireland on virtually every day, but of course the government requires such games to provide appropriate gaming licenses.

Last year, a poker tournament was staged in tandem with Galway horse racing festival, which is held annually in the summer.
Fintan Gavin, a local poker enthusiast from the area, teamed up with online gaming site Full tilt to provide 24 hour cash games and facilitate 60 tournaments, which started in July and lasted for two weeks.

The prize pool can be considered reasonably big for any circumstances, especially for a small town such as Galway City, as the cash reward stood at €100,000. However, the really serious prize was worth €1 million, and it involved the UK and Ireland Poker Tour main event.
Since players prefer the convenience of the internet, online poker sites in Ireland have witnessed an increased trend in recent years.

In addition, players reportedly do not have to pay tax to the government when they win a cash prize online. This has also shifted the traffic towards the online gaming sector.

Traditional casinos vs. online gambling

Traditional casinos are illegal in Ireland, however “private clubs” that offer casino-like services are allowed. Also like in the US, players must be 21 years of age, if they are to gamble.

Perhaps because of these restrictions, some players opt to play mobile casino games in Ireland.
Nevertheless, conventional casinos do seem to have a good future ahead according to analysts.

Poker – most popular gambler’s choice

• Female gamblers on the rise

• Traditional casinos fight back

• Weather – determines revenues in the gaming industry

Currently, casinos are achieving a modest return on investments. However, in the future casino gaming could rise to 9% of the gambling industry revenue, and by 2020 it is expected that traditional casinos will be earning a €280 million per year revenue.

Revenue figures will not be the only numbers that will be linked to the gaming industry. It is projected that by 2020, employment in the sector will increase to 3,600.
The government is generally in favor of a business entity that stimulates employment. Therefore, it seems that online casinos will be a facing a bit of a challenge from their land-based competitors in the years to come.

However, online players need not worry. Unless certain bills are passed to prevent people from gambling online, anyone who admires the convenience of online gambling will continue to strive to play poker, blackjack and other fun casino games.

Weather conditions and special days may lead to decreased profits to casinos.

Last year, casino Ladbrokes and bingo company Rank have put the blame for decreased profits on the weather.
They claimed that since it was sunny for a portion of the year, gamblers were not present as much inside of casinos, where they should be, but where rather enjoying the fine weather out in the open.

It is quite ironic that when the weather is positive in Ireland, gaming companies are set to lose money, while when the weather is murky and dim, companies are relishing in profits.
Along with other great things, the Irish also reserve a pride in practicing a certain religious custom. Since Sunday is the Sabbath, and Catholicism is the main religion of Ireland, players therefore do not place bets on that “resting day.”
This causes the bookies, casinos and other gambling institutions alike to lose a significant amount of potential wagers and winnings.

However, when it comes to placing bets on sports in Ireland, it is a slightly different story, than it is with traditional and online casinos.

The “Sabbath tradition” does not mean that previously placed bets are not followed on Sunday, as many sports events take place on the weekends. Bets might as well be wagered on previous days, just not particularly on that day.

It appears as though the Irish do have a real knack for gambling. Whether women as well have started to lose money recklessly or various poker tournaments are being organized, the Irish obviously like games that involve winning money.
While it seems that there might be a slighter increase in gambling numbers in Ireland in recent years, one might ponder that maybe this has something to do with their over-joyous way of life.

A double dose of poker and a local Irish brew is set to entice any gaming enthusiast to visit the “Green Isle”, or better yet make him stay for a full tournament when the games are on.