Former Minister for Sport, Fine Gael TD Michael Ring says he is “appalled” by outdated legislation that allows gambling to take place on underage sport and he is urging the government to fast-track new laws to prohibit the activity.

Under existing legislation bookmakers are permitted to offer odds on games played by schoolchildren, a loophole that has been widely condemned. On Thursday an inter-county Gaelic footballer revealed he had bet against his own team in a National League game after being gripped by a crippling gambling addiction when he was a teenager.

Mr Ring told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the problem of gambling addiction in this country can no longer be ignored and called for swift and meaningful change.

“We have a very serious problem out there of gambling addiction and I think legislation has to be brought in to deal with this. This legislation goes back many many years, it needs to be updated, it needs to be updated quickly,” he said.

He said: “I don’t like it in sport, I don’t think it’s necessary in underage sport and I would like to see the legislation brought in to make sure that gambling in underage sport is not allowed.

“Here within the country itself it’s time that we looked at it and I have to say that I’m appalled to learn that now you can gamble on school games and underage games.

“That should not be allowed, particularly with the problems we have in this country in relation to gambling.”

He said the practice was “very wrong” and that he would be lobbying to make sure legislation is brought forward to deal with “this very serious issue”.

“I would hope that with this new Government, it’s an issue that would get cross-party support. We love our sport, we like to see clean sport in this country and there’s enough gambling going on - we shouldn’t have it at underage level,” he said.