Dublin: New legislation being introduced today by Justice Minister James Brown aims to provide a more modern and improved approach to gambling licensing and regulation in Ireland.
After years of delay, the government has appointed a gambling regulator for the first time to oversee the sector. This report found that there are approximately 12,000 problem gamblers in Ireland.
Gambling advertising will be prohibited between 5.30am and 9pm as part of the Gambling Regulation Bill, which has been approved by the Government.
A new Gambling Regulator Authority will enforce new advertising and sponsorship rules across all media, and will overhaul the licensing laws for the gambling industry.The Government plans to have the new authority established and operational next year.
Minister of State James Browne said advertising aimed at children and problem gamblers will be banned. Betting on credit cards, the placing of ATMs in certain areas and other gambling inducements will also be prohibited.
Those operating without a gambling license could also face a prison sentence of up to eight years. There will be a Social Impact Fund for the purposes of financing research and supporting treatment of gambling problems.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the new legislation will safeguard against "truly awful" gambling addiction, which can be devastating to people and families
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said the nill will ensure that the Gambling Regulatory Authority can respond swiftly to ongoing and future developments in the gambling sector.
It does not fit the original purpose of supporting problem gambling with alcohol and drug addiction services. Campaigners have long said the industry cannot be allowed to regulate itself and that Ireland must introduce legislation to regulate an industry whose revenues have soared in recent decades. However, the Irish government has been somewhat slow in regulating the gambling sector.
The new legislation will recognize the variety of gambling activities available and the impact of technology on Ireland's gambling industry. A Gambling Regulatory Authority will also be established for the first time. The regulator will focus on public safety and welfare, covering both in-person and online gambling. The new authority will also have powers to regulate advertising, gambling websites and apps.
Justice Minister James Brown announced in September that Anne Marie Caulfield had been appointed as the new CEO of Ireland's Gambling Regulatory Authority.
The authority is expected to start operating as soon as possible after the enactment of the draft Gambling Regulation Bill, which is planned to become operational in 2023. This Bill will make a real difference in preventing people from being harmed by problem gambling and will help ensure that the industry has modern and effective licensing and regulatory measures in place, says the Minister.
Until 2013, the government was trying to create new laws on gambling in Ireland and a regulator to oversee it. In 2005, the UK Gambling Commission was established, however, it has only been in the last two years that further movement has taken place.
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