Northern Ireland’s gambling liberalization hopes are running into public opposition as the government starts to discuss the right path forward.

This week saw Northern Ireland’s government launch a discussion on how to update the territory’s hopelessly outdated gambling laws. The inquiry by the All Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling also unveiled new research by Survation into the public’s view of how politicians should act.

The new poll shows only 20% support for the legal gambling status quo, with three-quarters of respondents backing the establishment of an independent gambling regulator. Nearly as many respondents (60%) also want to see a complete ban on all gambling advertising.

Online gambling isn’t currently covered by Northern Ireland’s existing gambling laws, which were crafted in 1985, although the government does little to deter residents from visiting online gambling sites licensed in other jurisdictions.