There has been no opposition to the Irish government’s plan to establish an independent gambling regulator since it was announced two months ago, according to David Stanton, Minister of State in the Department of Justice and Equality. He said the plan has received the ‘full backing’ of the industry and that all stakeholders wanted it as soon as possible.
An independent regulator, with 100 staff, will be in place by the end of 2020. The government said without the body there is no prospect of progressing modern licensing and regulation of the industry.
The Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill would establish an independent regulator responsible for the licensing of all gambling operators, according to the Fine Gael MP. It would also set up a social fund to provide treatment for gambling addicts, funded by a levy on license holders, largely by bookmakers, and it will be responsible for tackling addiction, underage betting, match-fixing and online regulation.
Speaking at a seminar on licensing and regulation of gambling in Farmleigh, Stanton said he expected that the regulator would be established within the 18-month timeframe outlined in March. He also remarked that it is vital the new body is independent.
"You are going to be talking about money laundering, you're going to be talking about problem gambling, enforcement, licensing, research, regulation, inspection, so you could have up to 100 people working in this authority with that kind of expertise. That is why I decided to propose to government to set up an independent regulator, rather than having an office in the department, because we just wouldn't have that kind of expertise in the department," he explained.
These intentions to create an independent body were announced earlier this year as part of the Government’s efforts to make the regulation of the country’s gambling sector more efficient and up-to-date.