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The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) has officially been established after the Minister for Justice signed an order to commence parts of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024.
Minister Jim O'Callaghan signed the order and approved the appointment of the seven members of the GRAI on March 4. They will commence their new roles today (March 5).
O’Callaghan said the order ushers in a “new era for the regulation of gambling” in Ireland.
Following a general election in December 2024, a new Irish government entered into office on January 23 and O'Callaghan was named the new minister for justice, allowing the appointments to resume.
“The establishment of the GRAI is a further step towards replacing Ireland’s outdated gambling laws with a streamlined and simplified licensing framework, which will reflect the nature of modern gambling and take into account the harms associated with problem gambling, providing safeguards to protect people from those harms, especially children,” he said.
New appointees join CEO Anne-Marie Caulfield and her staff, who are rolling out their operations in phases.
Licensing will be “commenced in tranches”, the GRAI told Vixio GamblingCompliance earlier this year, with the “commencement for certain licence types taking place in 2025 — once the process is approved by the authority”, according to the regulator.
O’Callaghan confirmed that the aim is to invite applications “for some licence types within the coming year”.
Several factors have to be taken into account before licensing commences, including the expiry of existing licences and transitional arrangements.
GRAI CEO Anne-Marie Caulfield said: “I look forward to fulfilling our mandate and delivering a safe, well-regulated and transparent sector, with consumer protection at its core.”
Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, called the announcement a “step towards ensuring that the harms associated with gambling are minimised”.
“I look forward to the Department of Health working with the Gambling Regulatory Authority on initiatives to promote and progress this important goal,” she said.
