Betting levy and welfare fund a good wager for football

This week I'm going to play the game that shouldn't be played and wonder why Irish football doesn’t get funding in similar ways to certain other sports.

We know the need for substantial and well-structured funding has never been more critical for Irish football.

Horse and greyhound racing and the GAA receive certain types of funding which I believe Irish football is equally justified in requesting.

One potential source of funding for Irish football is the 2% betting levy.

The FAI commissioned a report which stated that income from betting tax is distributed towards horse and greyhound racing only, with an 80/20 split that has raised many eyebrows.

Since the commissioned report, the government have stated that the money is not being ringfenced for these sports, that it goes back into the exchequer.

However, the horse and greyhound industry receive near enough the same in funding that the betting levy receives – I said this last week - but make of that what you will.

Considering that football bets now constitute around 30% of all bets made in Ireland, it seems only fair that the sport receives a more equitable share of the betting levy.

The FAI has previously called for an increase in the betting levy, suggesting that a portion of these funds be redirected to support football.

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Raising the levy by even one percent and distributing the funds more evenly among sports could create a significant shift in the funding landscape.

This approach would not only support football but also ensure that the horse and greyhound industries maintain their current funding levels.

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