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TOUGH AND LONG-AWAITED regulations on the gambling industry – the first of its kind in Ireland – were last night passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas after over a decade of advocacy, work and delays.
The Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 will establish a watchdog agency, outlaw the use of credit cards for betting, ban day-time advertisements and introduce strict new rules for gaming companies.
A watchdog agency, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), has also been established to enforce these strict new rules and has been granted the power to provide and revoke licences to gaming companies.
Powers have also been granted to the GRAI, under the new law, to set restrictions on advertising, introduce player-care and addiction-prevention measures and regulate both in-store and online gambling.
All advertisements, including on the internet, will be prohibited until after 9pm under the new rules enforced by the GRAI. Every advert now must also warn of the risk of excessive or compulsive gambling and the consequences of such actions.
Sanctions, fines or even a revocation of a licence can be issued by the Authorities on companies or entities that are found to be in breach of the law.
Separately, the GRAI will control the purse strings of the Social Impact Fund which will fund research, rehabilitation, education programmes and therapy programmes that focus on problem gambling.
This measure has been broadly welcomed and called for by experts who, for decades, have been highlighting the disastrous nature of the silent addiction. It is hoped that this fund will help to fuel a boost in the country’s understanding of problem gambling.
Minister of State for Justice James Browne said that the new regulations have taken a public-health centred approach.
He said he was “truly delighted” that the legislation had finally made its way through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Anne Marie Caulfield, head of the gambling watchdog, has said the GRAI’s first focus will primarily be on licencing, adding that the measures will now be introduced in a phased basis.
Existing companies – who alongside problem gambling experts acted as stakeholders and advisors of the law – will be required to apply for a licence in the coming weeks.
People with problem gambling habits who sought to be excluded were required to contact companies themselves to inform them that they must be blocked from betting for the foreseeable future.
Under a new National Gambling Exclusion Register, the Authority will keep a record of all citizens who have requested that they be excluded from gambling. During the exclusionary period, it will be an offence for companies to contact citizens on the register.
Additionally, the Register will streamline the exclusion process and make it far easier for problem gambling therapists and other player-care centres to block their clients from accessing gambling or betting.
The responsibility will now be placed on the Regulator to inform companies under these robust and sweeping exclusionary measures.
Online gambling will be regulated for the first time in Ireland, under the new rules, and companies will have to include stronger safeguards to mitigate and prevent underage gambling, problem gambling habits and practices.
Responsibilities are placed on players and companies to ensure that people who are under the legal age to gamble (18 years old) are not using accounts belonging to a registered adult.
Companies are now legally obligated to collect the personal information of people with accounts on their online platforms to ensure that that account is being used and owned by someone over the age of 18.
The use of a credit card for all types of gambling, online or instore, is also outlawed by this law.
Problem gambling experts have for years warned of the danger of using a credit card when gambling, particularly online, as people – usually – are betting amounts they cannot afford and are incentivised to continue betting to pay back debt.
Additionally, every website that provides access to gambling services will be legally required to include a parental control programme on its homepage.
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FG on course for an epic victory, couldn’t be happier :)
@Paul M Doe: Well done.
@Tezmond McVicar: thank you :)
Hopefully Independents and small parties like the freedom party and Independent Ireland do well.
@common sense: It’s a pity we haven’t more politicians of Carol Nolan’s calibre!
@Dave Callaghan: I like her
@common sense: Far-right parties like the ‘Freedom Party’ are the last thing we need. Hopefully they’ll run separately and split their vote.
@Brendan O’Brien: It’s a matter of time before a far right party get into power, just like the rest of Europe. Macron in France had to join the literal Communist party of France to stay in power by the skin of their teeth. They wont survive the next one though. Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Germany etc. all following
@Cole Palmer: all the more reason to resist it now
@Cole Palmer: Nazi smurf would be dropped off at pre-school, the tiny goon that he is!
@common sense: you mean all those who got a mere 1% support in June ?
@common sense: really need to change your name from common sense with that post.
@Cole Palmer: the funny thing is, if the far rite get elected, the first they would get rid of are the very fools that voted them in.
@Cole Palmer: 100% agree
@common sense: that’s 1% of the vote taken care off
The choice of opposition is shocking but have to choose them over these robbers.
@Basildon Joe: northern bank robbers?
@Paul M Doe: I’d have voted for them if they weren’t so pro Palestine terrorists
@Basildon Joe: says a lot about you that you would have even considered
If it works don’t fix it. But either of the FF or FG parties have the historic record of running the country to a high level. The left wing muddlers world wide are being exposed and rejected. The population especially the poor need a successful economy to pay for services.
@thomas molloy: We are one of the richest countries in the world. We have a powerful economy. We have horrific public services with many crises due to a neoliberal government with two main parties of the same nature for the last 100 years. Running the country to a high level… ehh, maybe for the private sector?
@deadslys: yes agree with you. 100 years and trying to privatise everything biggest problem here
@martin finnegan: fully agree. But there are two problems. Firstly, neo liberalism has come to be accepted as ‘natural’ and people believe there is no real alternative. Secondly, apart from pbp we have no party that absolutely opposes this ideology. Of course, they get little or no coverage, and when they do, they routinely f up because they have no real understanding of how to make their alternative appeal to voters. Depressing situation really.
@Alan: No coverage! That twerp is never off the telly
Yeah like it’s going to make any difference! Ff/FG back in power again, but make sure you vote so it looks like you have a choice!! You don’t!!!
@pat kelly: You do have a choice. So stop crying over nothing.
@pat kelly: You do have a choice. Yes, FF and FG will probably win, but enough seats to govern on their own is by no means a certainty. There are lots of other parties out there who could form part of a coalition, and a good coalition party can have a big say in a program for government. So use your vote!!
@pat kelly: people need to vote , otherwise this government benefits from your lack of voting. If you want change, you need to vote strategically, no point in voting independents if they are ex ffg,
As they lost their seats for a reason.
If you want change vote every other party except ffg.
@pat kelly: so you will be crying but won’t bother to vote ,your kind are the worse
Yes independents all way no way voting ff or fg
Reason lot young people in particular are struggling to get out mam s and dads. For all rest Irish getting doc appointment and let not forget cost living so hard have life here if was 20 year younger and no bills id leave here . Very hard get ahead no get basics here
@martin finnegan: if you do, don’t go to England. It’s even worse there.
Make sure you are registered, and get out and vote for FG
@Lefty Cries: Getting polled at last Virgin?
@Freda Peeple: sex obsessed looper is on repeat lol
@Paul M Doe: Stop teasing me you slippery little virgin xoxo
@Lefty Cries: Never tell anyone who to vote for. None of your business.
@Tezmond McVicar: on the 29th, I will be outside my local polling station, telling voters to make sure they vote for FG
@Freda Peeple: serious incel vibes lol
@Tezmond McVicar: ignore the FG bootlicker
@Freda Peeple: Is this fried egg back again? He was very quite in the Trump being elected articles.
ANYONE THAT VOTES FFG G SF NEEDS TO GO SEE A PYCHRIS
@M G: You need to see a typist.
@M G: What is a “pychris”?
Who was it who said “Bad governments are the result of good people not voting”? Register. Decide. VOTE!
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: well said
If Sharia Fein get into power I am going to request Donald Trump to nuke Ireland
Hopefully good and competent politicians from FF/FG/Greens/Social Democrats/People before profit will rule this country! Far right parties=drug gangs should be banned in Ireland forever!
My independent turned out to be a woke clown. So I will not vote
@Dan Murphy: then don’t complain it you can’t be arsed voting
Can anyone say they know of any young people who actually bought on the grants. The government is bantering about.
Leaders questions is farcical.
100,000 vacant properties still lying idle.
Wait till Trumph reduces corporation tax in USA then all the cards will fall in Ireland unfortunately.
Mongo is pawn in game of life!
@damien leen: at least get the quote right lol
@Paul M Doe: hey….IFKU…have a nice day…
I have no interest in voting, for what it’s just a hopeless cause
@Paul: maybe educate yourself,
Voting is your right, every vote makes a difference ffg love people like you.
@Colette Byrne: so by not voting you are voting for the government.
I will certainly use my vote, but how, that’s yet to be mulled over.
Nearly 20 years in Ireland still can’t vote
@Mickstawowy: I believe you need to apply for citizenship or be from the UK. What do you expect?
@Mickstawowy: Are you a citizen?
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Not all Irish citizens living in Ireland can vote! That sounds like noncese but it’s exactly what is going on. Person with a certificate of naturalization declaring him and Irish citizen cannot vote because when he submits this certificate of naturalization as a proof of his citizenship – he recovers NO any reply! They just ignore such requests. That is totally unlawful and absolutely disgrace but exactly what happens at present – Irish citizens with proof of their citizenship sneaky not allowed to vote!
@Mickstawowy: your not a citizen.
@Colette Byrne: why should you have to be a citizen to vote!if you have lived in Ireland for a number of years, shouldn’t you be allowed to have some say in electing the government?
@Soundy Sound: yeah 2,5k e and tones of paper for myself and my lovely wife so feck it better go for holiday
have your say