It would be easy to assume that the UK and Ireland would have similar rules and regulations when it comes to gambling, but actually in general Ireland is behind the UK. In fact, some would say that Ireland has had a strange relationship with gambling over the years, because whilst gambling has been allowed there has never really been anyone to oversee it and ensure everything was running as it should. There are some historic rules that relate to gambling that Ireland has relied on but not only are these very outdated but there wasn’t anyone to really clamp down on those that weren’t operating within these rules.
Existing Gambling Rules
Although the rules did have some valid points, they were put together before the internet which means that there was nothing around online casinos or mobile gambling – which now makes up a massive part of the gambling industry and its custom. For many years it has been argued that these rules not only need a refresh but that there needs to be an organisation similar to the UK Gambling Commission to oversee everything and ensure it is working as it should. There have been various talks, rumours and discussions about a regulatory body being introduced within Ireland but nothing had really come of it until now. Last month Ireland appointed its first gambling regulator and many are hoping this is the first positive step to changing gaming rules within the country.
The Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1956
Whilst there are no specific bodies relating to gambling, it does fall under the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 which needs to be reviewed. This act was brought into place before gambling was a prominent pastime and long before the internet was even thought of, so it’s clearly outdated. For example, under this act, any casino that operates in Ireland is actually acting unlawfully. However, there are gambling clubs that exist in Ireland and these operate within the loophole of this act because they don’t class themselves as a casino so are able to get away with it.
Who Has The Job?
Anne Marie Caulfield is a recognisable name throughout Ireland and she has been officially announced as the first Chief Executive of The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland. Technically she doesn’t have any experience in the gambling sector, but then with no official regulatory body before this one that is probably to be expected.
What Does It Mean?
It is yet to be seen what Caulfield plans to do in the long-term with online casinos in Ireland, and her appointment has raised some eyebrows in the industry but there is no denying that change is needed.
Although the Gambling Regulation Bill in Ireland has yet to be finalised it is hoped that Caulfield will be able to help set this up and lead the gambling industry through its introduction and integration. It is thought that the bill will be ed before the end of next year which will bring with it a number of rules surrounding gambling in Ireland – a move that many feel is very much overdue.
The Gambling Regulatory Authority
Although it is not yet fully set up, there are some definite expectations of what should be achieved once it is up and running. One thing that it will be expected to tackle is problem gambling and the promotion of gambling responsibly. Whilst there are no official announcements on the route that this will take, many people hope that it will follow steps similar to those put in place by the UK. This means that gambling platforms and operators will be required to take some responsibility for ensuring that people use their platforms safely – and that they have the there to reach out to, should gambling become an issue. Currently, there are no real powers for anyone to be able to enforce any rules or deal with anyone that chooses not to follow them, whereas this will change once the Gambling Regulatory Authority is up and running in full swing.
The Future of Gambling in Ireland
Whilst it is not possible to say what the future of gambling in Ireland will look like, we can be relatively sure that a regulatory body in place will bring some changes. Most people in the industry are keen to welcome some exact rules and regulations in place because it will mean that all operators are on an even playing field when it comes to rules. Currently, whilst there are outdated rules in place there is no one to make sure that everyone abides by them – and with that in mind gambling operators could choose to ignore them.
We can only imagine what the rules are that they are likely to bring in – especially when you consider that they will need to look at both land-based casinos and those that operate betting platforms online. It is undoubtedly a massive job to look at how all of this currently operates and give it a massive overhaul – but that is exactly what Anne Marie Caulfield, the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland and anyone else that is hired to do the job the team will be expected to do.
With many people already visiting gambling clubs, one of the things could be to tackle how these are able to operate and what gambling opportunities they are able to offer people. It could be a limit to the number of games that they can offer, or in a similar way to the UK a limit on things like maximum stakes and the spin speed of slot machines. On top of that there is the online element to look at it which could be considered a much lengthier job. Online casinos are always changing in order to keep up with customer demand and even the UK Gambling Commission are guilty of releasing new regulations that are already out of date. If they are going to release rules for gambling in Ireland and ensure that the regulatory body can keep up with keeping these in line then it is important that the new rules are as accurate and up to date as possible, in order to keep everyone happy to stick to the new rules that will be put in place.