Following the introduction of new gambling laws, betting shops and bingo halls in Northern Ireland can now open on Sundays, and on Good Fridays from 2023, bringing Northern Ireland’s gambling laws into line with the Republic of Ireland and the rest of the UK.
The Northern Ireland Turf Guardians’ Association (NITGA), representing the majority of the country’s 300 betting shops, welcomed the change, saying that this will address a “longstanding anomaly whereby customers were able to place bets online, on a racecourse, or at a bookmaker shop across the border on Sundays but were unable to go to a bookmaker shop in Northern Ireland. Given that such a significant number of sporting events take place on a Sunday, demand had to be met elsewhere, including through illegal betting in pubs and clubs.”
The Department for Communities confirmed that the legislation has received Royal Assent, having passed through the Stormont Assembly in early March.
