Legislation on gambling in Ireland is approved following 17 years of deliberations by parliamentarians.
The Irish Gambling Regulation Bill, a long-awaited overhaul of the country's gambling legislation, has been passed. This significant change, which hasn't seen a major update since 1956, aims to transform a sector worth up to €8bn ($8.7bn) annually.
The bill, now awaiting President Michael D. Higgins' consideration and official signing into law, will introduce significant protections for the public in a previously largely unregulated sector. Operators can no longer sponsor sports teams or organizations, and restrictions on advertising will prohibit gambling ads on broadcast media between 5:30am and 9pm, with a ban also coming into place on social media ads. People will need to opt in to receive other types of online marketing messages.
In addition, a ban on incentives like free bets, hospitality, and VIP treatment has been implemented. The new legislation also sets a max stake and payout cap on games like blackjack, roulette, and slots, with a €10 ($10.86) max stake and a payout cap of €3,000 ($3,258). However, it's unclear if poker falls under this bracket. Legendary Irish poker player Fintan Gavin expressed concerns about the lack of clarity in the bill regarding payout limits for poker tournaments.
The new gambling law in Ireland assigns responsibility for licensing operators and monitoring compliance to the newly established Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRAI). GRAI will also have the power to suggest additional changes to legislation and issue fines of up to €20m ($21.7m).
Notably, some major broadcasters, such as Racing TV, are on record saying they will likely shut down their Irish operations due to the bill. Horse racing in particular relies heavily on gambling-related advertising and a betting levy. Sky Sports Racing revealed last week it plans to have a separate feed without gambling ads.
A new social impact fund will allocate resources from gambling companies to finance addiction-related education and treatment programs. This move is expected to provide much-needed support for those struggling with gambling addiction in Ireland.
Minister of State James Browne began working on the bill in 2020 and introduced it in 2022. The bill's passage marks a milestone in Ireland's efforts to regulate and protect its citizens from the potential harms associated with gambling.
