A team of Northern Ireland MLAs has triumphed over deputies from the Republic's Dail in a football match to raise awareness about gambling-related harm.
The TDs and MLAs were signed up with by football, rugby and GAA players to unite for The Big Step five-a-side competition which was organised to highlight the exposure of young people to gambling marketing in sport.
Philip McGuigan, Robbie Butler, Stephen Dunne and former gaelic footballer Justin McNulty were amongst MLAs representing the Assembly while TDs Aidan Farrelly, Ruairi O Murchu, Darren O'Rourke and Frankie Feighan lined out on behalf of the Oireachtas.
They were joined by players from The Big Step campaign, the Professional Footballers Associations for Northern Ireland and Ireland, the Gaelic Players Association and Rugby Players Ireland.
UUP MLA Robbie Butler, Sinn Fein TD Darren O ´ Rourke, DUP MLA Stephen Dunne, Fine Gael TD Frank Feighan, SDLP MLA Justin McNulty, Sinn Fein TD Joanna Byrne, Sinn Fein MLA Philip McGuigan, Fine Gael TD Brian Brennan (front row) Cool FM chief reporter James Gould, Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly, Finn McGrath from the All Party Group Secretariat, and Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu (Liam McBurney/PA)
The occasion was also supported by the Northern Ireland Assembly's All Party Group (APG) on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling.
Mr McGuigan, chairman of the APG on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling, said: "Everyone has a casino in their pocket through their smartphones. It is more crucial than ever that we highlight the threats of betting advertising in soccer."
The Sinn Fein MLA, who has actually spoken about his own problems with gambling dependency in the past, added: "The English Premier League is extremely popular here, and the gambling logos on shirts, arena billboards and TV adverts are relentless.
"This requires to be considerably lowered to resolve the general public health gambling epidemic we presently deal with."
Finn McGrath (centre left) from All Party Group Secretariat in action versus Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu (centre right) (Liam McBurney/PA)
A recent cross-border report by Maynooth University and Ulster University showed that young individuals throughout the island of Ireland are exposed to "incredibly high levels of betting marketing" through televised sports programmes and social networks material, much of which emanates from Great Britain.
The Big Step is a project run by Gambling With Lives to end all betting marketing and sponsorship in football.
Organisers stated Northern Ireland is now the only jurisdiction among the UK and the Republic of Ireland without updated betting legislation in the internet era.
Fine Gael TD Frank Feighan (left) in action versus SDLP MLA Justin McNulty (Liam McBurney/PA)
They keep in mind how legislation was presented in 2015 to develop a gaming regulatory authority in the Republic of Ireland and enforce stringent controls on betting marketing, including a broadcasting watershed.
Members of the APG have written to Sport and Media Secretary Lisa Nandy to urgently present comparable restrictions on gaming marketing.
Speaking with the PA news company, Mr Butler commemorated the MLA group's 6-1 victory over the TDs.
Sinn Fein MLA Philip McGuigan shoots throughout the match (Liam McBurney/PA)
On the subject of betting, he said the APG was not a "prohibitionist" group but included it was very important to highlight the dangers related to the practice, including addiction, poverty, bad psychological health and suicide.
The deputy leader of the UUP, who pulled a hamstring throughout a match, stated the APG desired to send a collective message to Westminster that gambling advertising was a "major concern" to be dealt with.
"Gambling is one of those addictive matters we require to see better legislation around," he stated.
Mr Feighan, the captain of the TDs, stated the island of Ireland has "obstacles" with gaming.
The Fine Gael TD stated that while he bets "a bit" himself, there was a need to do more to safeguard people "from the scourge of betting".
Michael Carvill, primary executive of Professional Football Players Northern Ireland, said: "Our company believe there need to be a reasonable reduction in betting promotion within the game to help protect gamers, fans, and specifically youths from potential harm."
One male who had actually been personally impacted by gambling addiction stated Friday's competition was a "fantastic" initiative.
Declan Cregan, a training and engagement officer for Chapter One, stated his love of sport had actually been messed up by gambling in the past.
After starting with a ₤ 1 bet at the age of 16, he stated "things extremely rapidly got a hell of a lot even worse" to the point his last bet ten years later on was for ₤ 4,500.
"It was a really tough 10 years for me, however regrettably not just for me - it affected so lots of parts of my life and individuals in my life. My mental health was impacted as well."
Mr Cregan, who now deals with a body targeted at lowering the damage of gaming in society, said: "Sport would be a much safer location if betting marketing was kicked out."
He said he would support a "blanket ban" on betting marketing similar to the watershed in the Republic of Ireland.