New Irish gambling laws could see free bets banned and tighter advertising restrictions placed on casino and betting sites

Anyone who follows the gambling sector in Ireland will know that Anne Marie Caulfield has recently been appointed to head up the soon to be established Gaming Regulatory Authority of Ireland. This new body has been tasked with updating the regulatory framework for gambling in the country, and keeping tabs on the growing online casino industry in Ireland.

Part of this push towards a more regulated gambling sector could include bans on operators in the country offering free bets to players. In addition, proposals have been put forward which could enforce much stricter rules around advertising for casino and betting sites.

But how has the gambling industry in Ireland reacted to this and what exactly could be involved?

Ban on free bets to make waves

Anyone involved with gambling in Ireland naturally wants to protect players and do all they can to promote responsible gambling. With these goals in mind, more regulation and an update to gambling laws which currently do not even take iGaming into account seems sensible.

However, there is concern within Ireland’s gambling industry around what a ban on free bets and tighter rules on advertising could mean. Sanna Heinonen from Irish site irishluck.ie noted: “We welcome any moves to make gambling in Ireland safer but hope any new laws in this area do not harm the industry at the same time.”

But why is there concern around some of the proposed new gambling laws which could come into effect soon? In terms of free bets, online operators in particular will worry that it takes away one of the main ways they attract new customers or retain existing ones. This in turn could cause their revenues and profits to drop as a result. It could also lead people to choose to play at offshore, unregulated online casinos and betting sites to grab free bets there.

Why are tighter advertising rules for sites causing concern?

When it comes to tighter laws around advertising for casino or betting sites, it is broadly the same concern. More restrictions on where sites can advertise, when they can do it and what they are allowed to say could hamper their ability to reach consumers. This could in turn see a drop in player numbers and a struggle to pick up new customers. For new sites in the sector, it could also make it much tougher to build brand visibility.

But what might stricter rules look like for operators? Although nothing has been confirmed yet, a pre-watershed ban on TV gambling adverts has been recommended previously. This would result in no gambling sites being allowed to run TV adverts before 9pm each night. This is intended to stop young people from taking up gambling or developing issues with it.

It has also been noted that high-profile celebrities in TV adverts for betting and casino companies should be further investigated. Stricter laws around casino and betting advertising in Ireland are expected to focus mainly on TV and digital advertising. If these are the main channels used by a betting or casino company to reach consumers, they may feel the pinch.

2023 could be an interesting year for Irish gambling

There is no doubt that expected changes to gambling regulations in Ireland could have a massive impact on the sector, but just when could we see everything fall into place?

The appointment of Anne Marie Caulfield seems to be a real step forward, as are moves to set up an official body to regulate gambling in Ireland. In addition, the drawing up of a Gambling Regulation Bill to govern Irish gambling is another positive move and the General Scheme for the Gambling Regulation Bill was actually published in October 2021.

This bill is expected to be passed into law in the near future and enables the newly formed authority to begin enacting its contents. This will include free bet bans and tougher advertising rules for betting and casino sites.

Tighter regulation of Irish gambling market certain

With the Gambling Regulation Bill well on its way into official law and a new body to regulate gambling in Ireland, it is clear that the gambling industry in the country might look a lot different in the new year. This of course is not bad thing overall, as it will make the whole industry a safer, more accessible place for Irish gamblers.

Legitimate concerns do remain over the potential impact of some measures contained in the bill – with bans on free bets and tougher rules on advertising being two examples. While the exact impact of laws like these is hard to say for sure, it is easy to understand why some operators in Ireland’s gambling industry may feel a little nervous.

Gideon Wood - info@responsibleentertainment.com

Responsible Entertainment Limited is a news-and-marketing based company dedicated to divulging key industry information related to the iGaming and sports betting sectors.