Irish gambling legislation: bill finally gains lower house’s approval

The Irish Gambling Regulation Bill has been passed by the Dáil Éireann.

Ireland.- After months stuck at the committee stage, the Irish Gambling Regulation Bill has been approved by the Dáil Éireann, the lower house in the Irish parliament. Introduced almost two years ago in December 2022, the bill aims to reform Irish gambling legislation and create a new regulator for the sector, the Irish Gambling Regulatory Authority

The bill includes a ban on gambling using credit cards and limitations on advertising and bonuses, but not the complete bans that some senators have been pushing for. It will also create a national gambling self-exclusion programme and a mandatory levy on gambling operators to go to a social impact fund.

Amendments approved in a session last Thursday would give the new gambling regulator the right to publish the details of regulatory breaches by licensees and of any sanctions imposed. Another amendment would allow the regulator to apply for court orders to block the advertising of unlicensed gambling operators.  

The minister of state for law reform James Browne, who has been promoting the bill, expects the legislation to come into force within 12 months but admitted that there could still be further delays, not least because Ireland must hold a general election by March of next year, which could shake up the make up of parliament.

“It is an important, effective regulatory tool used in other jurisdictions and one that will assure the public it is being protected while allowing the authority to send a message that it is regulating the industry,” Browne said.

He added that parliament would have input on the selection criteria for members of the regulator, who would have experience with gambling issues. However, some MPs have continued to raise concerns with the bill in its current form, complaining that it was being rushed through. Brendan Howlin for Wexford said: “It is a very complicated bill and we are dealing with a very broad spectrum of amendments from the Seanad, many of which relate to issues that were touched upon here and are probably not strictly proper to be dealt with.”  

It’s been nearly two years ago since Anne Marie Caulfield was named as the chief executive officer designate for the Irish Gambling Regulatory Authority. It was said at the time that the early appointment of a chief executive was “aimed at minimising the time between the enactment of the legislation and the date on which the regulator commences operations”.