A ban on gambling advertisements in Ireland appears to be becoming a reality. The advertising ban has survived the first phase of the amendment process in the Irish national parliament, despite opposition from industry associations and TV broadcasters.
According to iGB, a ban on gambling advertisements in Ireland has moved one step closer. The country is in the process of implementing the new gambling law. The initial version of the new gambling law in Ireland was approved in November 2022. The most recent version dates back to July 12, 2023, with a few amendments from the original.
However, the advertising ban has not been changed in the latest bill. With the new law, gambling advertisements are prohibited on both radio and television between 05:30 and 21:00. The aim is to protect young people from gambling advertisements.
However, the Irish bookmakers’ association has expressed its concerns about the impending advertising ban to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Minister of State James Browne, according to Gambling News.
Gambling operators are warning that live sports broadcasts may be interrupted due to the visibility of gambling advertisements. For example, bookmakers are widely represented in the British Premier League. Matches from that football league are also broadcast in Ireland and are immensely popular.
Sky Sports Racing and Racing TV, both pay-per-view TV channels, are also concerned about the impending ban on gambling advertisements. They would like to see horse racing exempted from the gambling advertising ban so that the TV channels can continue live broadcasts uninterrupted. The reason they want to be exempt is that they operate through subscriptions and have already implemented protective measures within these subscriptions, according to the TV channels.
Racecourse Media Group, the parent company of Racing TV, has already stated that their subscriptions will cease once the ban on gambling advertisements in Ireland comes into effect. Racing TV holds the exclusive broadcasting rights for the 26 Irish racecourses until 2029.
Martin Stevenson, CEO of Racecourse Media Group, emphasizes that (live) television broadcasts are crucial for the survival of the sports.
The advertising ban will not only apply to TV and radio but also to social media, video platforms such as YouTube, and email, where gambling advertisements will be prohibited in the future.
The new Irish gambling law not only targets gambling advertisements. Once the law is implemented, there will also be a ban on free bets in Ireland. This measure is being taken to better protect minors and young adults from potential gambling-related harm.
Another important aspect of the new gambling law is a ban on the use of credit cards for online casinos in Ireland. Flutter, one of the world’s largest gambling companies, had previously called for a ban on the use of credit cards in Ireland. The parent company of brands such as PokerStars and Paddy Power is headquartered in Dublin.
The next step for the bill is the reporting phase. After that, the new gambling law still needs to pass both houses of the Oireachtas, the Irish parliament, before it becomes law.
With the implementation of the new gambling law, a new regulator will also be established. Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann, better known as the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), will be the Irish counterpart of the Dutch Gambling Authority (Ksa).
The Irish gambling watchdog will be responsible for issuing licenses and overseeing the Irish gambling market. In September 2022, the Irish regulator appointed Anne Marie Caulfield as its CEO.
Additionally, the country will establish a self-exclusion register, where individuals can voluntarily exclude themselves from gambling. Ireland is following the example of the Netherlands, which has its self-exclusion register known as Cruks.