The UKGC and Ireland’s GRAI sign MoU to boost cross-border gambling regulation, enhancing player safety and industry oversight.
After a meeting between the Gaming Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) CEO Anne-Marie Caulfield and the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) Chief Executive Andrew Rhodes in Dublin the two have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
It’s the second time this month that Ireland has hit the online gambling entertainment headlines.
Our resident Irishman, Matthe O’Connor, published new of the Irish Gambling Authority officially opening.
In more recent news, the GRAI and the UKGC have made an agreement via a MoU that will mean the two gambling watchdogs will increase cross-border collaboration efforts.
It makes perfect sense geographically, and for the GRAI, it helps the newly formed online gambling regulatory side of their new framework.
The GRAI is in a fortunate position to learn from past mistakes and successes from the UKGC, which has been in operation since 2007, just two years after Great Britain announced the official Gambling Act 2005.
As for the GRAI, now officially in action, it falls under the newly created Irish Gambling Regulation Act 2024. As a result, there are almost two decades worth of experience the GRAI can benefit from the UKGC.
CEO Anne-Marie Caulfield said: “Ireland and the UK share many of the same operators and gambling practices, so putting this agreement in place will enhance our ability to share information and discharge our respective regulatory responsibilities effectively.”
What are the possible pros of the collaboration?
The UKGC knows how to regulate a domestic online gambling entertainment market correctly. One area where I take my hat off to the UKGC is player safety and legal rights under British consumer laws.
Furthermore, online gambling websites cannot get away with malpractice, for example, poor IT systems. All UK online casinos, sports books, and other gambling sites must follow the 10 Steps to Cyber Security designed by the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The guidelines cover player privacy, encrypted connection, and even employee checks and who has access to certain IT system infrastructure.
One point Irish players will probably be please with is if the GRAI follow the latest UKGC rule that will only allow operators to apply a maximum 10x wagering requirement to bonus deals.
Overall, from the point of view of the Casinoplusbonus team, we can see plenty of positives for Irish online gambling enthusiasts.
What are the possible cons of the collaboration?
On the flip side, operators may not be so enthusiastic about the UKGC/GRAI MoU. If the GRAI follow the UKGC’s path, Irish players and operators may experience more stringent online gambling market conditions compared to the current landscape,
For instance, the UK has targeted the online slot market heavily. Some of the rules software providers and operators must follow include no auto spins or quick spins, and bonus buy features are prohibited. On top of this, there are max bet limits of £2.00 for players 24 or under and £5.00 for those 25 or over.
If the new GRAI online casino framework follows the UKGC down the same path, expected online slot revenues for operators preparing to apply for a licensing certificate to operate in the Republic of Ireland will certainly need downgrading.
Whether the GRAI will also follow the UK into implementing affordability checks may also kick up a fuss, as it did when announced as part of the UK White Paper. Yet, the UKGC has come up with an ingenious plan that makes these checks non-invasive.
For the time being we are not 100% clear on how the GRAI is planning to regulate the online gambling scene in Ireland currently. In Matthew O’Connor’s ‘Irish Gambling Authority Officially Open’ news report, it specifically mentions that Jim O’Callaghan said the licensing framework will be ‘streamlined and simplified’.
Can Irish players play at overseas online casinos?
This is the big question we are waiting for an answer. Nothing has been set in stone by the GRAI yet. For the time being, it seems Irish players will have the option to choose whether they want to play on a platform under the GRAI licensing and, therefore, reap the benefits of domestic gambling laws.
Alternatively, it seems the options to play at Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) -regulated internet gambling sites or crypto casinos under the Curacao Gaming Control Board (GCB) are still on the table.
Feel free to read the full report published on the offcial FRAI website – Agreement Signed with UK Gambling Commission.
Leave A Comment