It’s going to be an interesting future for the Irish gambling industry. Legislation that will reform that currently in existence is steadily making its way through the necessary stages.
March saw Deputy Pa Daly ask a question to James Browne who is the Minister for Justice. He asked when the Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 will proceed to its remaining stages.
In reply, the Minister said that the Irish Government has a “clear commitment to reform gambling legislation.” The planned legislation will have “a focus on public safety and well-being.” That will be both for online and in-person gambling.
One of the key elements of the Bill is the creation of a new, independent statutory body. The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland will play a major role in the regulation of gambling in the country. This will include how gambling is advertised and have authority over apps and websites.
The Minister said that last July saw the Bill complete its Committee Stage. Amendments are now being prepared ready for the Report Stage. He hopes that the Bill will become law in the coming months.
Gambling – particularly online – continues to grow in popularity. It is important though that it is regulated for several reasons. The fairness of those offering services must be maintained. There is also the need to protect those who gamble as it is so easy to become addicted if proper care is not taken.
The introduction of the Gambling Regulatory Authority will see there being stricter control of online and land-based betting. It will have many responsibilities and this includes licensing online casinos, gaming and lotteries that are not run by the National Lottery.
Licensees will be able to either just offer gaming activities at land-based venues, online or a mixture of both.
It is going to be important for those granted licenses by the Regulator to behave in a correct manner. Their license will specify what services they can provide and if they offer those not specified then they will be prosecuted. This could see them receive a fine or even a jail sentence of up to eight years.
One of the main concerns of any Government is to ensure that underage gambling does not take place. The Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 includes a number of safeguards aimed at doing this. Just as with the consumption of alcohol, licensees will find themselves in trouble if allowing those underage to be on licensed property or gambling online as per Casino Gambler.
Advertising of gambling products is another controversial area. When companies do advertise their products, the Bill sets out that they must be clearly identifiable. The advertising carried out by gambling companies must not set out to make betting look attractive to children.
Nor must it be seen to be promoting excessive gambling. Advertisements on television and/or radio will not be able to be broadcast during the hours of 5.30am and 9pm.
It’s a difficult situation though regarding advertising. If for example an English Premier League game is shown on television, it’s likely there will be plenty of advertisements seen for online gambling companies. The new regulatory authority won’t be able to do anything about that or front-of-shirt sponsorship.
Ireland is not alone in having gambling companies that continually send out details of offers and bonuses to their customers. The Bill sets out that those receiving such information must have opted-in to being sent them.
How does all of this compare to the UK gambling industry? Online casinos in the UK are incredibly popular there and they also face increased regulation.
The last major gambling legislation in the UK came into law back in 2005. The gambling industry has undergone many changes since then due to the arrival of the internet and improved mobile phone technology.
Their gambling laws are therefore seen as outdated and moves are in place to update them. That was a policy outline in the Conservative Party manifesto for the December 2019 General Election.
As the UK edges closer to the next General Election, not a great deal of progress has been made regarding gambling legislation.
Last year saw a White Paper published that outlined the plans for gambling reform. There have been tougher restrictions placed on how gambling can be advertised and fines issued to companies by the UK Gambling Commission.From September, the maximum stake limit for online slots will be drastically reduced. It’ll be £2 for those aged under 25 and £5 for gamblers over that age.
Could perhaps Ireland follow suit in the future? An interesting future lies ahead for the Irish gambling industry.
