Amendments to the Gambling Regulation Act are under discussion in Ireland following months of intense lobbying.

The long-awaited law

Faced with a “tsunami of social problems” related to gambling, the Irish government has decided to take legislative action. A review of the Irish Gambling Regulation Act 2022 began, with reforms expected to be passed in 2024. Among the proposed measures are a ban on daytime gambling advertising, the creation of a fund to combat problem gambling, and the establishment of Ireland’s first gambling regulator.

Children and gambling

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has proposed amendments to the current legislation, which have recently been approved by the government. One of these amendments has caused a lot of controversy. Under the new law, children under 18 will be allowed to visit premises such as racecourses where gambling takes place, provided that these premises offer more than just gambling. However, minors will not be allowed to place bets. The aim of the amendment is to encourage these premises to expand their services so that they do not rely solely on gambling revenue. The amendment has attracted criticism due to concerns that it could expose minors to gambling and normalise the activity, as underage gambling is already a problem in Ireland. According to research by the Institute of Public Health , almost one in four 16-year-olds have gambled in the past year, with more than 15% of them experiencing problems due to developing a gambling addiction.

Intensive lobbying

The development of the gambling law and its amendments has generated great interest among industry operators, who have lobbied actively to influence the content of the bill and soften the expected restrictions.

Bookmakers, racing industry workers and even charities feared potential financial losses from the new legislation. Charities such as Arthritis Ireland had asked for advertising exemptions, arguing that lottery and raffle revenue was vital to their work.

The proposed amendments are aimed at providing flexibility to charities, NGOs and sports bodies such as the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Ireland's largest sporting body.

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