Report on Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Gambling Regulation Bill
The General Scheme of the Gambling Regulation Bill was published on 19 October 2021. On 17 May 2022 the Joint Committee on Justice published its Report on Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the General scheme. The Committee heard evidence and submissions from key stakeholders and made recommendations on several issues.
The Joint Committee made the following recommendations. The Committee recommends introducing a Domain Name System to block access to gambling operators that are not licensed within the State. The committee recommends that the General Scheme include specific references to the prohibition of gambling with credit cards. It also recommends background checks to be carried out on an applicant when they register for an online gambling website. A scheme of escalating fines should be introduced to deter harmful behaviour by the gambling industry and to better protect vulnerable individuals. All Fixed-Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) are banned in Ireland.
The Committee recommends introducing a Domain Name System to block access to gambling operators that are not licensed within the State. It also recommends that the General Scheme include specific references to the prohibition of gambling with credit cards and the proposed ban on gambling within pubs. The Committee also endorses the need for the regulator to gather comprehensive data on the behaviour of those who gamble in Ireland. It recommends the legislation ensures that all Fixed-Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) are banned in the country. and a scheme of escalating fines be introduced to deter harmful behaviour by the gambling industry.
Report on Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of Gambling Regulation Bill. Government committed to establishing a gambling regulator focused on public safety and well-being covering online and in-person gambling. The G gambling regulation bill was approved for priority drafting and publication. It will be operational in 2023. Applications have closed for the post of CEO Designate of Gabbling Regulatory Authority of Ireland. Public Appointments Service is interviewing candidates.