Ireland will soon amend its gambling laws, resulting in significant changes in its gambling landscape. The most notable ones include a ban on gambling advertising between 5:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., inducements to ban gamblers, and all gambling companies must register with the new authority.

The Irish Government has approved new legislation and a particular Gambling Regulation Bill that will modernize the gambling regulation and licensing in the country. It will follow the technology in this industry, which people mainly play online nowadays. 

What does the gambling regulation bill involve?

The most significant part includes, as aforementioned, banning gambling advertisements between 5:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. That also consists of an online ban unless the person opts explicitly to receive such ads. 

There will also be a prohibition on children being near gambling premises, and all sports clubs that have underage teams cannot have sponsorship deals with betting or gambling companies. Furthermore, things that encourage adults to gamble will also be banned. These include free bet offers, special offers and promotions, hospitality features, etc. 

An important thing to know is that this legislation does not apply to Ireland’s National Lottery, which operates under a different set of rules. 

The new regulator, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, will oversee online and offline gambling and regulate advertising, gambling apps and websites. The regulator will receive various information from gambling companies, do inspections, monitor compliance, and investigate possible law breaches. 

What should gambling companies do?

Any betting and gambling company that wishes to be present online or offline in Ireland must register with the Irish gambling authority. They can apply for a few gambling licences – betting and lottery licences, business-to-consumer gaming licences, business-to-business licences, and gambling licences for charitable causes. 

This new legislation should come into force at the beginning of the new year, and we will see how things will evolve.