Ireland's gambling regulator opens consultation on three draft rules under 2024 Act

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) has launched a public consultation on three draft regulations linked to the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. The consultation opened on 30 July, and the authority will accept submissions until 20 August at 3pm.

Under Section 86 of the Act, the GRAI is proposing a list of games that can be offered under a gaming licence. The regulator must formally prescribe the permitted games before such licences can be granted, with each individual licence then specifying which of those approved games an operator is allowed to provide.

A second set of draft rules, made under Section 152, would require certain categories of licensees to keep prescribed records and accounts in electronic form. The aim is to create consistent record-keeping obligations across the affected licence holders.

The third proposal, under Section 173, concerns information that remote gambling operators must give to account holders. It would require regular alerts on customer winnings, losses and time spent gambling, while also giving players direct access to their gambling history for set periods.

The GRAI has also published implementation guidance alongside the draft regulations to help operators prepare their responses. Feedback can be submitted through an online survey or by post. The regulator said comments should focus on the content of the draft rules and warned that submissions, or summaries of responses, may be published unless respondents request anonymity, subject to data protection legislation.

The GRAI added that further regulations under the 2024 Act are planned, with additional public consultations to follow where needed. The announcement comes after a busy period for the regulator, which recently issued its first remote betting licences, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nevada's Gaming Control Board and launched a national underage gambling awareness campaign.