Today in the Seanad Senator Craughwell  welcomed the introduction of the licensing regime for online bookmakers and betting exchanges. It is widely accepted that the current legislative framework is outdated and unsuitable for the online environment in particular. He  welcomed the fact that section 23 of the Betting Act 1931 will be amended by section 26 of this Bill to extend the current prohibition on licensed bookmakers from taking bets from those under the age of 18. Interestingly, there have been no studies examining the prevalence of problem gambling in Ireland. We only have research from other countries to go by. There is, however, consistent evidence that the rate of problem gambling is higher among youths than in the general adult population. Now while Senator  Craughwell said that he was   aware that the Gambling Control Bill 2013 which is being drafted  will introduce a range of measures to promote responsible gambling and protect vulnerable persons, including children, from problem gambling  he still believed it necessary to include in this Bill,  several amendments to promote socially responsible gambling and to deter persons from engaging in irresponsible gambling.