Ireland’s government is ready to move forward with a strict timeslot regime for gambling ads as soon as it becomes possible.
For the Racing Post, a government spokesperson commented that while no commitment can be made towards the exact date of when a gambling ad watershed will be introduced, talks in that direction are actively ongoing between different government institutions.
“The advertising provisions of the 2024 Act primarily apply to those licensed by the GRAI and have not been commenced as yet,” the statement read.
“Work is ongoing between the minister for justice, home affairs and migration, and the office of the attorney general in relation to the commencement of various provisions of the act. It is not possible at this juncture to provide a timeline for the commencement of the provisions in respect of advertising.”
The strict limiting of gambling advertising was first envisioned in the Gambling Regulations Act 2024, which also signed the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) into existence.
Since then, the regulator has been working towards gradually expanding Ireland’s re-regulated gambling market. Earlier in July, for example, remote operators were allowed to enter Ireland through their newly-acquired licences.
Also already enforced are possible prison sentences for those facilitating or allowing underage gambling, as well as additional protections around player payouts.
The gambling ad watershed, however, which plans for advertisements to be prohibited between 05:30am and 9pm, is yet to be announced by Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan.
“At its core, the act is a public health measure aimed at protecting citizens from gambling harm, particularly children, young people, and those in our communities who are more vulnerable,” the spokesperson added.
“The protections and safeguards provided for in the act are contingent on licences being issued by the GRAI. However, the minister is supportive of their commencement as soon as is legally and operationally feasible.”
