Calls to fill the roles of the newly-established Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) have been put out by the Minister of State for the Department of Justice, James Browne. GRAI, also known as Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann in Gaelic, is currently looking for a Chairperson and six ‘ordinary members’ to kick off the statutory body’s licensing and regulatory …
Read More »Tag Archives: James Browne
Gambling Regulation Bill to be signed into Irish law
The Republic of Ireland will overhaul its near-century-old gambling laws, as the Oireachtas has approved the Gambling Regulation Bill (GRB) to be signed into law by President Michael D. Higgins. The GRB underwent a decade of development and a two-year deliberation by the Houses of the Oireachtas, following its authorisation as a joint bill of Ireland’s Tri-coalition government. The government …
Read More »James Browne: Ireland GRB to take hardline on gambling conduct and criminality
The Dáil of Ireland has resumed ‘committee stage’ discussions on the Gambling Bill of Ireland (GRB), which will implement a new regulatory framework for Irish gambling. Sanctioned in November 2022, the passage of the GRB has been stuck in the committee stage of the Dáil since July 2023. The tri-party government has set no timeline for the GRB’s ascension into …
Read More »AIB adds gambling block to Irish bank accounts
Allied Irish Bank (AIB) has applied a ‘voluntary block’ on gambling transactions for customers of its debit and credit card services. The voluntary block on gambling transactions has been made available to all 3.3 million AIB customer accounts and bank app users. AIB, which operates as the Republic of Ireland’s largest retail bank, stated that the new controls would support …
Read More »Charity amendments denied for Ireland’s stuck GRB
The passage of Ireland’s Gambling Regulation Bill (GRB) has become further muddied, as conflicts emerge on the framework’s rules and determinations related to fundraising activities connected with gambling. Concerns were raised to Minister of State, James Browne, who oversees the GRB’s agenda, to exclude charity draws and schemes from being included in the Bill’s framework. An amendment, carrying a specific …
Read More »James Browne: Irish gambling regulation is a public health measure
Ireland’s Minister of State at the Department of Justice, James Browne – the politician with oversight of the country’s legislative changes on gambling – has commented on the results of a report into underage gambling. Published by Ireland’s Institute of Public Health (IPH), the report is based on data from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs …
Read More »Report: Irish Justice Department rejects affordability measures
Irish media has reported that the country’s Department of Justice has turned down parliamentary suggestions for enhanced affordability background checks. A report in the Irish Examiner over the New Year weekend outlined that two recommendations by the Oireachtas Justice Committee had been rejected by the Department. These included a proposal for financial background checks to be conducted when a customer …
Read More »EGBA: Ireland legislation bringing country in line with fellow EU states
Ireland’s Gambling Regulation Bill has been welcomed by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) as a ‘significant milestone’. The Bill was approved last month by the Irish cabinet, which is led by a tri-party coalition, having been drafted by Minister of State for Justice James Browne. Praising the legislation, EGBA has stated that the Bill will modernise Ireland’s gambling …
Read More »Ireland approves launch & remit of Gambling Regulation Bill
Irish gambling stands at a new dawn, as the cabinet of the tri-party coalition government will today sign-off on the publication of the Gambling Regulation Bill. Ireland’s new regulatory regime for gambling has been drafted by Minister of State, James Browne of the Department of Justice. The bill seeks to safeguard the Irish public with a modern legislative framework for land-based …
Read More »Concerns raised over political links to betting sector ahead of Irish regulation
Reports in the Irish media over TDs’ attendance at a betting industry ‘VIP tent’ have prompted criticism from political rivals and in other national outlets. The Irish Daily Mail, the Ireland-facing edition of the UK’s Daily Mail, reported this week that TDs and Senators from the ruling Fiianna Fáil and Fine Gael parties attended a VIP event at Punchestown racecourse …
Read More »