Are prize competition sites like Ooosch a form of gambling? If not, why not?
Public lotteries have been a popular going concern for centuries. The prospect of winning big with a low stake is undeniably attractive – it could be you, as the famous slogan goes. In a fast-paced, lifestyle-focused social media age, the lottery takes on an ever more enviable quality when you can scroll through video after video of happy jackpot winners enjoying their prizes. Such a strategy is key to the success of competition giveaway platforms like Ooosch, which has been operating in Ireland and the UK since the turn of the decade. But do outlets such as Ooosch represent a form of gambling? If so, is regulation required? And if not, why not? On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent journalists John Meagher and Sean Pollock to examine the ever-changing face of public giveaways. The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism
