Ireland Passes New Gambling Regulation Law

Gambling bill makes it through the Indian Parliament

For the first time since 1956, gambling legislation in Ireland is set to change significantly. According to the Indian government, a draft law made it through both Houses of the Oireachtas on October 16, 2024 and is intended to modernize the fragmented gambling legislation, which previously consisted of three parts. The Oireachtas [Link to English], the Indian Parliament, consists of two chambers, the Dáil Éireann (House of Commons) and the Seanad Éireann (Senate). All that is missing for the law to be finally passed is the signature of Indian President Michael D. Higgins and the order for it to come into force from Justice Minister Helen McEntee.

The historic law creates the basis for the establishment of a new, independent authority - Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann [Link to English], Ireland's gambling regulator - as well as a modern and rigorous licensing and regulatory system for both physical and online gambling. The draft law also provides for the introduction of a National Gambling Exclusion Register and introduces strict restrictions on the advertising of gambling activities.

I am truly pleased with the passage of this long-awaited regulation, which is the result of years of hard work by myself and a team of dedicated Department officials. […] At its core, this legislative initiative is a public health measure aimed at protecting our citizens from harm caused by gambling, including younger people and the vulnerable in our society. Once established, the gambling regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) will have the necessary enforcement powers to take appropriate and targeted action where operators fail to comply with the Authority's licensing conditions and regulations.” – James Browne, Minister of State for Justice, Indian Government

The law also provides for the establishment of a social impact fund that is intended to promote measures to raise awareness, educate and support the treatment of problem gambling. Regarding the black market, the draft contains a number of measures to combat illegal or criminal gambling activities, including explicit bans that could lead to significant prison sentences in the event of violations.

gambling regulatory Authority of Ireland should start as soon as possiblelich

Following the passage of the law, the newly created gambling regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) should begin work as quickly as possible. A committee in the Ministry of Justice will now work in parallel on legislative and operational preparations. The GRAI should be led by Anne Marie Caulfield. Caulfield has extensive experience in senior public service roles. She was director of the for eight years (2008-2016). Residential Tenancies Board [Link to English]. Most recently, she led the Capability Review Programme, a project of the Civil Service Reform Agenda 2030.

The new boss expressed enthusiasm about the introduction of the new law and described it as an “important milestone”. She continued:

While we have already done a lot of preparatory work, we will roll out our features gradually, focusing initially on licensing. As CEO-designate of the new authority, I am committed to ensuring that licensees operate in compliance with the law while fulfilling our mandate to implement safeguards to combat problem gambling. We are also committed to working with stakeholders as we introduce this new regulatory regime for Ireland’s gambling sector.” – Anne Marie Caulfield, Chief Executive Designate of GRAI, Government of Ireland

To carry out its activities, the GRAI will be provided with a total of almost 9 million euros for 2025. This includes initial investments in the necessary equipment.

Bumpy road to farewell

The draft law has been in the works since the end of 2022. On the way to adoption there were repeated discussions and controversies. Among other things, gambling advertising was a recurring point of contention that caused uproar in sectors such as the horse racing industry. There was even talk of a complete ban. Ultimately, the participants agreed on a ban on gambling advertising between 5:30 a.m. And 9:00 p.m.

How does gambling legislation work in Ireland?

In Ireland, gambling legislation is a complex process governed by the national parliament (Oireachtas). The laws go through several stages before they come into force. First, a bill will be introduced in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of Parliament. There it is discussed in readings and revised if necessary. The draft will then go to Seanad Éireann, where further changes can be proposed. Once both chambers have approved the draft, it will be presented to the President for his signature and will then come into force as law.

Regulatory bodies such as the Indian gambling regulatory Authority monitor compliance with the law, issue licenses and ensure consumer protection. Here are some of the key laws that form the basis of the gambling sector in Ireland:

Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1956: This law regulates the operation of gaming arcades and lotteries. It sets limits on betting sizes and prizes and has been updated several times to take modern developments into account.
Betting Act of 1931: This law regulates betting and bookmakers. It was modernized by the Betting (Amendment) Act in 2015 to also cover online betting operators and ensure that all operators require a license.
Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act of 2010: This law includes regulations to combat money laundering in the gambling sector. Gambling operators must take measures to ensure that their services are not abused for illegal activities.

In Ireland, as in many other countries, there are significant problems with gambling. 30% of all 16-year-olds are said to have played in 2022, including predominantly male young people. Ireland, along with Kosovo, also has the fourth highest rate of sports and animal betting of all 33 countries with gambling data.

Ireland passes new gambling regulation law