Ireland announces fines of up to €20m for rogue gambling providers

Announcing new legislation to regulate Ireland’s multi-billion-euro gambling industry, Minister of State in the Department of Justice James Browne said that gambling providers could be fined up to €20m or 10% of their annual turnover if they break new rules set to be introduced. Mr. Browne also described current laws as ‘outdated’ and ‘incoherent’. The new legislation will ban free bets and inducements, introduce a new code around gambling advertising and give the regulator new powers to suspend or revoke a provider’s licence and administer financial sanctions. They will also have the ability to block remote or online access to a provider’s service in Ireland or to shut down those operations entirely. The new authority will also have the power to regulate gambling across all forms of media, as well as addressing the issue of sponsorship by gambling companies. New codes will set out the times and frequency which gambling advertising can appear on television, radio, and other media platforms each day.