After years of preparation, the Irish Gambling Regulation Act has finally been passed by both houses of the Irish Parliament.
The bill was first introduced in the House of Representatives in December 2022, and with its passage, the Irish Gambling Regulatory Authority can now be established to oversee the licensing and regulation of the gambling industry.
This marks the first comprehensive legislation to regulate the gambling industry in the country since 1956, bringing a series of measures.
For example, it prohibits the publication of gambling advertisements between 5:30 AM and 9 PM, establishes a social impact fund to raise awareness, takes measures to combat the black market, prohibits enticements, and establishes a national gambling exclusion registry.
The bill will be submitted to President Michael D. Higgins for consideration, and then signed into law.
Minister of State at the Department of Justice, James Brown, stated: "I am very pleased to welcome the passage of this long-awaited legislation, which is the result of many years of hard work by myself and a dedicated team of department officials.
"It provides a new streamlined, simplified, and coherent licensing framework—reflecting the nature of modern societal gambling and addressing the surge in digital gambling activities and advertising in recent years.
"Essentially, this legislation is a public health measure aimed at protecting our citizens from gambling harms, including young people and more vulnerable groups in the community."
Anne-Marie Caulfield, the incoming CEO of the Irish Gambling Regulatory Authority, added: "While we have done a lot of preparatory work, we will be rolling out our functions in phases, initially focusing on licensing.
"As the incoming CEO of the new authority, I am determined to ensure that licensees operate legally, while fulfilling our duties to establish safeguards to address gambling issues. We are also committed to working with stakeholders to establish a new regulatory framework for Ireland's gambling and betting industry."
