A LONG-AWAITED GAMBLING watchdog is to begin its operations from tomorrow as the justice minister has appointed seven members to its board today. 

The Gambling Regulation Authority of Ireland (GRAI) was established last year and will begin the process to grant licences to gaming companies to operate in Ireland tomorrow.

Under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, the regulator will control restrictions on advertising, introduce player-care and addiction-prevention measures and regulate both in-store and online gambling.

Former business leader Anne Marie Caulfield was appointed as CEO of the GRAI a number of years ago. Today, Paul Quinn was appointed as the regulator’s chair, and six others were appointed to the board.

Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, who appointed the board today, said the new watchdog agency will help to replace the outdated laws in respect of gambling regulation in Ireland.

He thanked his predecessors Helen McEntee and junior minister James Browne for their work on the matter. He said the new laws will bring the Irish industry, one of the largest in the World, into the “21st century”.

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 a revocation of a licence can be issued by the Authority 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 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.