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Compliance Updates

GRAI: Join the Ongoing Public Consultation

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The GRAI would like to hear the views of stakeholders, including operators and the public on the proposed regulations concerning licensing which will be commenced on a phased basis.

Consultation Published: Monday 7th April 2025

Submission period closes: 5pm on 5th May 2025

About us

We are the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland. We were established on 5 March 2025. Our role is to regulate gambling activities in Ireland.

The law that established us, and sets out what we do, is the Gambling Regulation Act 2024.

Those who wish to provide gambling activities in Ireland will need a licence from us. We can issue different types of gambling licences for in person or remote gambling activities, including the following:

1.    Business to consumer gambling licences

This type of licence applies to those providing betting, gaming or lottery activities to consumers.

 2.    Business to business gambling licences

This type of licence applies to those selling or supplying a gambling product or gambling related service.

3.    Licences for a charitable and philanthropic purpose

This type of licence applies to those who wish to provide betting, gaming, or lottery activities for charitable and philanthropic purposes.

 

We intend to start our licensing function in a phased way, with different licence category types opening at different times.

Our current plan is to first open for Business to Consumer betting licence applications in December 2025 (both in person and remote). This will be followed by opening for gaming licence applications (remote only) towards the end of the first quarter of 2026. However, the order and timing of commencement maybe subject to change. The license application process will take a number of months.  Once an application is submitted it will be reviewed to ensure all necessary information and documentation has been submitted.  We will then undertake various checks on the applicant and on the Information and documentation submitted to verify the information and to ensure it is given due consideration when making the decision to grant or refuse the license application.

What is the purpose of this consultation?

We have the power to make regulations.  Regulations are laws created by Ministers or public bodies under powers given to them by Acts of the Oireachtas.

The first set of regulations we plan to make will:

a.    Set the application fee for applications for betting (in person and remote) and gaming (in person and remote) licences. This is provided for in section 38 of the 2024 Act.

The second set of regulations we plan to make will:

b.    Set the duration for which a gambling licence remains in force. This is provided for under section 108 of the 2024 Act.

AND

c.     Set out some additional conditions which will apply to gambling licences. This is provided for under section 129 of the 2024 Act.

We would like to hear the views of stakeholders, including operators and the public on the proposed regulations.

For more information including how to submit a response please visit: Live Consultation page.

The post GRAI: Join the Ongoing Public Consultation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

AGRESE

Representatives from AGRESE and LOTESE Visits Lottopar

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On July 3rd and 4th, the Paraná State Lottery (Lottopar) received at its headquarters representatives from the Sergipe State Public Services Regulatory Agency (AGRESE) and the Sergipe State Lottery (LOTESE), on an institutional visit aimed at exchanging experiences and technical in-depth study on the regulation, operation and control model of state lottery activity.

During the two-day event, visitors learned in detail about the regulatory framework built by Lottopar, the systems adopted to ensure the traceability and security of operations, the criteria for accrediting operators and laboratories, and the responsible gaming and anti-money laundering policies implemented since the organization’s founding.

“We are delighted to welcome AGRESE and LOTESE. We believe that the development of state lotteries necessarily involves this type of technical cooperation, where successful experiences can be shared and adapted to the needs of each federative entity. The Lottopar model is constantly evolving, and it is a pleasure to be able to contribute to other states that, like Sergipe, demonstrate a commitment to serious, safe, and responsible regulation,” Lottopar CEO Daniel Romanowski said.

The exchange of information between states is essential for consolidating a safer, more efficient national lottery environment aligned with international best practices. The visit also reinforces the importance of joint action between regulatory agencies and state lotteries in formulating effective public policies.

AGRESE CEO Mr. Luiz Hamilton Santana de Oliveira said: “The institution is very honored and pleased to have hosted this technical visit, as it was a very productive two days, where we were able to further enhance our knowledge. We will implement what we learned and saw here into our regulations back in Sergipe.”

Adriana França Coserva Hide, CEO of LOTESE, said: “On behalf of Loterias de Sergipe, I would like to express our deep gratitude to the Lottopar team for the warm welcome and, most importantly, congratulate them on the exemplary work they have been doing. We were impressed by the level of excellence, professionalism, and commitment to social well-being that permeates Lottopar’s entire structure and operations. This exchange of experiences was extremely enriching and reinforces our conviction that cooperation between state public lotteries is a fundamental path to strengthening the sector in Brazil. We leave here inspired and even more committed to the mission that unites us.”

The agenda concluded with technical visits to Lottopar’s strategic departments and the headquarters of accredited partners, focusing on practical observation of operations. New joint initiatives are expected to be established soon, solidifying a virtuous cycle of cooperation between Brazilian public lotteries.

The post Representatives from AGRESE and LOTESE Visits Lottopar appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Compliance Updates

New ESRI Research Commissioned by the GRAI Suggests Gambling Offers Lure People to Bet More, Particularly People at Risk of Problem Gambling

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A new study commissioned by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) /Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and undertaken by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) shows that betting and gambling companies offering special offers or inducements encourages people to gamble more than they would otherwise, even when the odds offered are “bad”.

Special offers or inducements, such as free bets and moneyback guarantees are regularly used by gambling companies in their marketing campaigns. The study found that vulnerable people such as those at higher risk of becoming problem gamblers, were most at risk of gambling more, and losing more, as a result of being offered inducements.

In a controlled experiment run with a sample of 622 men under 40, participants, were given money to place up to six realistic bets on the Euro 2024 football tournament.

Half of the participants were randomly selected and shown offers of free bets and moneyback guarantees on some bets. which caused these participants to spend over 10% more than those who were not given inducements. The inducements also reduced the number of participants opting not to bet by nearly half. Even inducement bets that were designed as “bad”, showing odds far below market rates, were undertaken by participants in this group, who were three times more likely to spend money on “bad” bets.

These findings illustrate the harm inducements cause, particularly to those who are susceptible to gambling harm.

Under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, the legislation which underpins the work of the GRAI, inducements or encouragement to gamble further will soon be an offence and licensed operators will no longer be allowed to offer free bets which are targeted at individuals and specific groups. Multiple European countries have also begun to regulate inducements.

Participants were surveyed after the study on their knowledge and understanding of inducements. Even amongst regular betters, most did not know that there were restrictions on free bets and that they would not receive their stake back if they won a free bet.

Paul Quinn, Chairperson of the GRAI, said: “I very much welcome this research from the ESRI examining the impact of inducements to gamble on gambling behaviours. Having a clear evidence base is critically important to the GRAI as we commence our work in regulating the gambling industry. This latest research will help inform that work and in educating the public on this matter.

“This study clearly indicates the damaging effect of certain practices around inducements. It underlines the importance of the provisions of the Gambling Regulation Act in limiting a person’s exposure to inducements to gamble. We look forward to working with Minister O’Callaghan in addressing the issue as we implement the new regulations.”

Anne Marie Caulfield, CEO of the GRAI, said: “The ESRI’s findings confirm that not only is the general public not aware of the dangers associated with inducements to bet, but also that the impact of these inducements go beyond simple marketing by betting companies.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that gambling operators do not encourage excessive or compulsive gambling behaviour, and that we protect vulnerable people in our society, such as children and young people and those more likely to experience gambling harm.

“The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 sets out obligations for licensees in the way in which inducements can be offered, including a ban on targeted inducements, and the findings of this study affirm these measures.”

Diarmaid Ó Ceallaigh, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Behavioural Research Unit, ESRI, said: “Our findings imply that gambling offers aren’t merely marketing tools, but pose a real risk of financial harm, particularly among vulnerable groups.

“The results support the case for stricter regulation of gambling offers in Ireland, following steps already taken in other European countries, such as banning sign-up bonuses, restricting offers to at-risk individuals, and capping their value.”

The post New ESRI Research Commissioned by the GRAI Suggests Gambling Offers Lure People to Bet More, Particularly People at Risk of Problem Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Compliance Updates

VNLOK Calls for Strict Action Against Illegal Providers and Balanced Approach to Gambling Regulation

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The latest impact assessment by the Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) shows that players on the legal market are increasingly being protected. Since the introduction of new playing limits and duty of care rules on 1 October 2024, fewer players are setting high limits and losing smaller amounts.

The number of accounts losing €1000 or more has dropped by over 75% to 0.9%. At the same time, the number of accounts per player remains stable (an average of 2.4 accounts per player). The so-called “hopping” behaviour between legal providers is therefore absent.

There are, however, worrying signals about a further growing illegal market. The previous report of the KSA already showed that for every euro gambled online, Dutch people spend €0.50 on illegal gambling sites. Now it appears that since the introduction of the new rules, the average monthly search volumes for illegal gambling sites have increased by 23% to almost 1 million. VNLOK warns: the control and protection of vulnerable players will be lost in this way. While the legal market is strictly regulated, the illegal supply remains too easily accessible for vulnerable players.

Björn Fuchs, chairman of VNLOKs, said: “It is good that the new rules for players who gamble legally are effective. At the same time, we cannot close our eyes to the other half: the illegal market. It is precisely the players who wager the most money and vulnerable groups, such as minors and young adults, who seem to continue to find their way to the illegal supply. That is precisely the group that is most at risk.”

VNLOK emphasized that an excess of new regulations will have undesirable effects. Fuchs added: “If well-intentioned regulation is piled on top of regulation, this will drive more players to the illegal supply. That is where – without any form of supervision or protection – major problems arise.”

VNLOK has called for strict action against illegal providers and for a balanced approach to regulation: effective where necessary, but without unnecessarily hindering the player and the legal supply. VNLOK urges that all findings from the latest impact assessment must be taken into account when creating new rules.

The post VNLOK Calls for Strict Action Against Illegal Providers and Balanced Approach to Gambling Regulation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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