With Regulation On The Horizon, Which Way Will Ireland’s Betting Community Turn?

The government is putting applications out to tender for a new gambling regulator. The regulator will be in place by 2023 and the government will provide up to 12 million Euros for the industry to fund its own regulation.

Idea of banning free bets in casinos has been floated. This would prevent predatory marketing and prevent people being lured in with free games. Playing casino games for money is associated with an up-front and easily accountable form of gaming.

Sports gambling has a long history in Ireland. It is unproblematic but some people have had financial problems due to gambling. Michael Chopra, a former footballer, lost over £2 million of his wealth to this problem. Changes have been mooted within Irish sport to reduce the visibility of gambling, for instance by removing sponsors from football team shirts and stadiums.

There are concerns about changes to the regulation of horse racing in Ireland. The industry is very storied and the culture around it is strong. There are also changes for Northern Irish racecourses. The new regulators and laws indicate that the Irish government may have some teeth in the gambling industry.