Ireland Slows Down The Regulation Process in Order to Fine Tune iGaming Legislation Model

Ireland is experiencing new regulation delays.

The Official Announcement

The discovery comes in the form of the announcement of the delay by Ireland’s Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, who has pushed back the launch of the country’s overhauled gambling regulatory framework until at least 2021.

The Current Legislation

The Ireland Gaming and Lotteries Bill was signed into law December 2019 to address the entire range of gambling product to be available to the country, and is set to deliver a comprehensive set of updated measures that includes limits on gaming machines and maximum prizes.

Revamp Slowed

The revamped legislation was due at some point this year according to Minister of State David Stanton, until the Justice Department notified lawmakers and the government of the need for more time to complete development and launch Ireland's new regulatory framework.

Spikes in Betting

Ireland reports indicate a surge in online betting across the country, bringing with that wave commensurate fears of spikes addiction.

Application of New Regulations

The new bill's broader scope seeks to regulate public safety and consumer well-being, and applies to both land-based and online gambling activities; gambling advertising; and gambling websites.

Justice Minister Speaks

McEntee explained the goals of the program to contextualise the announcement of delay, saying:

“The Program for Government gives a clear commitment to establish a gambling regulator focused on public safety and well-being, covering gambling online and in person, and the powers to regulate advertising, gambling websites and apps.”

Slowing to Optimize

McEntee insists the government is committed to an effective model, but new challenges arose in that model's formulation, and the process has been deliberated further to provide regulators with the opportunity to deal with these challenges adequately.

Outlook

Ireland remains a key piece of the greater UK ecosystem, and the need for Ireland to show it's own effective regulation modeling procedure is a key to retaining a more powerful, lucrative, and compliant market across the entire region.