The new gambling regulator in Ireland has begun operations overseeing the country’s Gambling Regulation Act 2024.
The legislation provided for the establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) to regulate both land-base and online gaming including lotteries.
Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said: ““The establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland is a further step towards replacing Ireland’s outdated gambling laws with a streamlined and simplified licensing framework, which will reflect the nature of modern gambling and take into account the harms associated with problem gambling, providing safeguards to protect people from those harms, especially children.
“It is designed to meet the challenges of gambling responsibly in 21st century Ireland, providing clarity for operators and for consumers and taking a responsible approach to balancing the freedom to gamble with the safeguards to protect people from falling prey to addiction.”
To support the GRAI’s work, Paul Quinn, the former CEO of the Office of Government Procurement in the Irish government, has been appointed as its chairman.
Six other Authority members include Celine Craig, who has held a number of senior management posts at the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, and Marion Kelly, the current CEO and a board member of the Irish Banking Culture Board.
The six GRAI members will join CEO designate Anne-Marie Caulfield, who has been in place since September 2022.
The GRAI will oversee both B2C and B2B elements of the Irish gaming industry and lotteries, including for charities and sporting organisations but not including the National Lottery.
O’Callaghan added that Caulfield and the GRAI members will out the regulator’s work on a “phased basis.”
“I understand that this includes, as a priority, work on progressing the licensing process, with a view to inviting applications for some licence types within the coming year.”
