Irish online casinos and the new gambling legislation

In this month’s Irish casino news we thought it would be a good idea to look at the latest proposals for regulating all forms of gambling in Ireland, including online casinos and online sports betting. Details of the proposed bill have now been published by the Ministry for Justice under the title of the Gambling Control Bill, which will replace existing legislation, in particular the Betting Act 1931 and the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956. We understand the purpose of the legislation is primarily to respond to the influence of modern technology on the gambling scene in the form of online casinos and the huge range of casino games which are now readily available online, but there will also be restrictions on the number of casinos licensed to operate in the country and the number of tables each casino is allowed to have. We understand that no more than 40 casinos will be allowed and each will have a maximum of 15 tables. The new Bill will apparently also require all online casino operators and online gambling sites to be licensed irrespective of where they are based, a proposal designed to ensure that such internet sites are not linked to criminal organisations. There will also be clauses designed to protect vulnerable young people, including restrictions on certain types of casino games considered potentially harmful. Also included in this Bill will be a relaxation of the rules relating to bingo clubs, which may prove to be a welcome move for this gambling sector in particular. All gambling organisations operating in Ireland, whether through the internet or with a physical presence will also be expected to support a new social gambling fund which will be set up to provide support for problem gamblers. It is believed that this legislation will receive support both in government and with the public so we await the outcome with interest.