The Totalisator Act 1929 is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 4:

"4A.

(1) Any person working a totalisator shall not accept a stake of money from a person under the age of 18 years.

(2) A person who contravenes this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable -

(a) on summary conviction to a class A fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both, or

(b) on indictment to a fine not exceeding €50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or both.

(3) Where a person is charged with having committed an offence under this section it shall be a good defence to such charge to prove that the person so charged believed and had reasonable cause for believing that the person in respect of whom such offence is alleged to have committed was of or over the age of 18 years.".