Dr Frank Houghton

Well, the way I approach it to some extent is gambling is gambling.

And, you know, I'm a firm believer in gambling control.

So I would be in support of the National Lottery in getting this ban.

But I do see an opportunity here.

I think, yep, okay, if that's what the National Lottery wants, let's make this sort of a quid pro quo situation.

At the moment, you know, in unclaimed prizes, the National Lottery receives an average of about 17 million euros a year back.

And we know from some years ago, some figures that were released, 98% of that, the National Lottery have the option of spending that on prizes or spending it on advertising.

Some figures released a few years ago indicated that they spent 98% of it on advertising.

So my position would be, okay, if you want this law, let's switch this up.

Let's add an addendum to this license.

They're finishing out a 20-year license.

Let's finish it out where we introduce some solid advertising controls like the nine o'clock water shared on advertising.

But also let's make sure that that 17 or so million euros

Yeah, that goes back to the lottery.

Let's put that into prizes and not advertising.

Well, that would be another alternative, absolutely.

But one of my main concerns is curtailing the advertising.

I think if you walk into any corner shop, if you walk into any petrol station, it's wall-to-wall national lottery advertising and that just needs to be curtailed.

I realise an economics consultancy firm has been involved in these.

I suppose my only parallel is I know that