Tune in as Casinoplusbonus covers the latest 2024 reforms to the Irish Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 affecting gambling advertising! (Image by nurfdesigns on Vecteezy)
We are just days away from gambling reform in the Republic of Ireland.
At least that is according to a report released by the Irish government in August.
The Minister of State had blamed the late arrival of reforms to Ireland’s Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 on ‘endless’ lobbying from gambling companies operating in Ireland. For the time being, this has caused delays preventing new gambling laws from coming into place.
Just to be clear, the reforms don’t mean that the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) is ready to begin regulating the country’s online casino market. For more information, you can read our previous news covering the ‘New GRA Coming in 2023’, although it is 2024, and the GRA is still not fully up and running.
What Are the Latest Changes Coming in October 2024?
For now, the bans aim to make adjustments in regard to advertising. There will be bans across the country on gambling advertising between 5.30 am and 9 pm.
The ad ban has been planned since the formation of the new GRAI. It did make some headway in July 2023 last year, which we reported on in our Regulatory News July 2023 news.
However, since then, it seems the ad ban has been stalled due to the lobbying mentioned above. Now, the ban has officially been earmarked for October 2024, and here’s what’s coming.
- The ban covers a wide spectrum of advertising channels, not just TV channels. Social media, email marketing, video-sharing sites, and paid advertising on websites are all on the list.
Obviously, the ban cannot prevent people from searching the web for gambling content. As a result, online casinos will still appear in search results, as will online gambling affiliates, news, and informational sites.
- Proposed punishments by the Oireachtas for breaking the advertising rules are pretty harsh, too. A Class A find and/or a 12-month to 5-year jail sentence.
Currently, none of these changes are in action at the time of writing this news report.
What are the Latest Changes Under the Gambling Regulation Bill 2022?
Casinoplusbonus first reported a change to Irish gambling laws back in 2021 via the news report ‘Republic of Ireland Updated Gambling Bill’.
Since we reported on that story, the Gambling Regulation Bill has officially been in action since November 2022. It has resulted in some minor changes thus far affecting the Irish land-based and online gambling landscape slowly but surely.
Many feel those in the Oireachtas behind the bill are acting too slowly, but regulating gambling in Ireland is no small task. In its defence, the slowly but surely approach just means the government is weighing up its options.
The point of the bill is not to crush the industry but to make it a more transparent one. The bill also aims to protect children from being exposed to gambling ads, which has been a particular focus. At the same time, as with most regulatory authorities, there is also a focus on reducing the harms caused by problem gambling.
Some of the Latest Changes Outlines to Date
- Children will be allowed on betting premises (e.g., racetracks) but are prohibited from gambling.
- ATMs will be permitted in certain locations where cash access is limited.
- Exemptions from the gambling advertising watershed (5:30 am – 9:00 pm) will be extended to charitable and philanthropic organisations, allowing them to advertise freely.
- A new national gambling exclusion register will require a manual opt-out process after six months of self-exclusion.
Proposed Changes
The proposed changes that are still in discussion and are likely to bear fruit over the next year or so include:
- Setting a bet limit of €10 on table games such as blackjack, roulette, and lottery games.
- Setting a maximum win of €3,000 (This one just baffles me)
Problem Gambling in Ireland Blamed on Slots and Table Games
According to a report in the Irish Times by Barry O’Halloran, an Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) study showed the extent of problem gambling in casinos. The report shows that 22% of those with a problem gambling issue play slots or other casino games.
You know how we like to dissect these reports, so I’ll take a look around and see just how real this stat is. For the time being, setting a bet limit of €10 on table games has been vehemently refuted by casino operators, who say the impact on their businesses will cause substantial financial losses.
The argument right now from lobbyists and casino owners is that the government is singling out casinos unfairly. One of the points made, reading between the lines, is that the same betting limits have not been proposed for other sectors of the Irish gambling industry.
For me, I would say that means sports betting and horse racing. The point was made, in particular, by Debbie Quirke, who is the chief executive of the Carlton Entertainment Group.
What’s Next for Ireland’s Gambling Industry?
What happens next in the Irish gambling market is anyone’s guess. Tighter gambling regulations are clearly coming, but the timeline for when new regulations will come into action is not clear.
Only time will tell. There is still plenty of work to be done in order to thrash out a fair and just framework for all Irish businesses connected to the gambling industry.
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