Ireland iGaming Round-Up – EGBA Applauds Gambling Proposals + GiG Strikes Commercial Deal

Our Ireland iGaming Round-Up tells of the Gambling Regulation Bill receiving a stamp of approval and a new deal between GiG and News Corp UK & Ireland. (Image from Joshua Miranda at pexels.com)

The ongoing re-regulation of gambling legislation has been a hot topic in Ireland for the past couple of years. Well, following the recent announcement that the Irish Government has published its new Gambling Regulation Bill, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has stated its approval of the news. On top of that latest regulatory news is the announcement of the Gaming Innovation Group and News Corporation entering into a mutually beneficial iGaming partnership.

If you’re behind on the ongoing regulatory developments in Ireland, we published a story last month that covers all the specifics of the upcoming regulatory reform. Our piece ‘Government of Ireland Approves Regulatory Authority – New GRA Coming in 2023’ goes into detail regarding the new regulations, the creation of a new regulatory authority, and more.

EGBA Welcomes News of the Publication of Ireland’s Gambling Regulation Bill

Upon hearing news of the Irish Parliament publishing the long-awaited Gambling Regulation Bill, the Brussels-based European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has been quick to show praise and support for the proposals laid by the new bill.

The EGBA is a trade association that represents many leading betting operators that are licensed and regulated to operate within the EU. It works alongside respected regulatory authorities across the EU to work towards delivering an iGaming industry that offers high levels of consumer protection while still offering enough attraction to keep the same consumers away from unregulated markets.

EGBA has applauded proposals such as the creation of the Gambling Regulatory Authority in Ireland and a social fund that will support the treatment of gambling addiction. Other proposals that received acclaim include the banning of credit cards for gambling purposes, stricter gambling advertising rules, and the creation of a national self-exclusion register—something the EGBA has long advocated.

The publication of this bill brings gambling reform one step closer in Ireland. It is believed that the subsequent parliamentary process will lead to the bill becoming law at the end of 2023.

EGBA believes that with the appropriate resources and power to deal with unlicensed gambling operators, these proposals could bring Ireland’s gambling legislation into the modern era and in line with other EU countries that have recently made changes to their gambling laws.

Other Newly Regulated Markets: Countries including the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and France have all modernized their iGaming laws in recent years. Each has taken action to combat citizens from accessing unregulated online casinos.

GiG Enters into Agreement with News Corp UK & Ireland Limited

In other news, Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) has entered a new commercial deal with News Corp UK & Ireland Limited. This partnership will see the two firms work together to deliver sports betting and casino content to the UK and Ireland online readers of the Sun and talkSPORT. That content will feature in specific sections on both platforms to make it easier for those readers to access it. This agreement holds significant benefits for both companies. News Corp’s existing eCommerce infrastructure and specialized iGaming marketing know-how will power GiG’s foray into the UK market. The deal will also acquaint GiG with News Corp’s vast consumer base of online shoppers. It also enables the latter to capitalize on GiG’s content and brand exposure.