Protecting consumers from gambling harms will be a key focus of the new Gambling Regulator.
Press Release - 5th March 2025: Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann, Ireland’s new Gambling Regulatory Authority was officially established today by the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, TD, heralding a new era in the regulation of Ireland’s gambling sector.
Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann / The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland is the independent, statutory body responsible for regulating and licensing the gambling industry in Ireland.
The new authority regulates in-person and online gambling, gaming, betting and certain lottery activities, including bingo. It does not regulate the national lottery, which has its own regulator, or regulate fundraising conducted by political parties.
It will license operators and set standards for the gambling, gaming and betting industry. Where the law is breached there is potential for licence revocation or suspension, substantial financial penalties (up to €20 million or 10 per cent of turnover) and / or criminal prosecution. The legislation provides for prison sentences of up to eight years for serious breaches, including failure to protect children from gambling.
Mr Paul Quinn, Chair of the Authority said; “I am delighted to have been appointed Chair of the new Authority and I look forward to working with my fellow Authority members and the Executive as we begin regulating this very important sector. Our role is to make sure that gambling is well regulated and fair, that standards are in place and monitored, and that protections are there for those who are most vulnerable, particularly children.
“Anne Marie Caulfield and her team have undertaken very important development work which will allow the Authority to commence its vital work without delay. We look forward to building a high standard of protection for consumers and to ensuring the integrity and fairness of gambling operations in Ireland”.
Anne Marie Caulfield, CEO of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland said; “I look forward to working with our new Authority to progress the work which has been undertaken in preparation for the establishment of a new gambling sector regulatory regime. We have undertaken a lot of work to understand the extent of gambling in Ireland, the drivers of gambling harms and the impact of inducements and advertising on gambling behaviours. We have also engaged with a broad range of stakeholders including with industry, charities and people who have lived experience of harm caused by gambling.
Ms. Caulfield said that the establishment of a new licensing regime is well underway, and that the Authority has appointed its senior management team in licensing, consumer protection, compliance, IT, enforcement and corporate services. She also said that development work on licencing and operational financial models has been completed with the aim of ensuring the new Regulator can quickly become self-funding.
Ms Caulfield emphasised that public safety is at the heart of the Gambling Regulatory Authority’s work.
“While most people who gamble do so safely, a 2023 ESRI study estimated that 130,000 adults in Ireland are experiencing problem gambling with a further 279,000 identified as experiencing moderate levels of problem gambling. Greater awareness and education about harms from gambling will be a key focus of the Authority. Safeguards will be enacted to protect and prohibit children from participating in gambling or presenting on premises where gambling activities are ongoing specifically and expressly. The Authority will uphold these safeguards and ensure that they are adhered to within the gambling industry”.
A Social Impact Fund will be established with the purpose of collecting mandatory contributions from licensees to fund research on harms associated with gambling and to support initiatives that raise awareness around this subject
The Authority also has the power to determine the times, places, and events that gambling advertising can be displayed, broadcast, or published. Gambling advertising on social media is prohibited by legislation, and a watershed prohibition of gambling advertising on television and radio between the hours of 5:30 AM and 9:00 PM will also come into effect.
