404. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Justice the status of the Gambling Regulation Bill 2022; whether guidelines on what documentation and financial information can be requested from patrons will be issued to bookmakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51951/23] 

James Browne, Minister of State at the Department of Justice: he Programme for Government includes a clear commitment to reform gambling legislation, with a focus on public safety and well-being from both an online and in person perspective. 

The Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 sets out the framework and legislative basis for the establishment of a new, independent statutory body – Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland – and for a robust regulatory and licensing regime to regulate gambling in-person and online, and for the regulation of gambling advertising, websites and apps. 

The Government approved publication of the General Scheme of the Bill in October 2021. In May 2022, the Committee published its report of its pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Bill. The Bill was approved for publication in November 2022, completed Second Stage in Dáil Éireann in December 2022 and Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann on 11 July 2023. 

While the scheduling of Oireachtas business is a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas, I am hopeful that the Bill will be enacted in the coming months. 

At its core, this legislation is a public health measure aimed at protecting our citizens from gambling harm, including younger people and those more vulnerable in our communities. My officials and I have engaged in extensive consultation with representatives from the industry, the charity sector, related sectors and as well as with professionals working in the area of problem gambling, persons adversely affected by the consequences of gambling and those with lived experience of problem gambling. 

With respect to the Deputy’s substantive query, section 161 of the Bill requires a person to open an account with a licensee where that person wishes to gamble online and that person must supply documentation to verify that they are over the age of 18. Furthermore, section 161(1) provides that the Authority may specify any other information or documentation that person must submit to a licensee when opening such an account.  However, to clarify, the Bill does not create any requirements or obligations to provide sensitive personal or financial information to licensees. 

Section 30 of the Bill provides that the Authority may make codes of practice relating to the provision of relevant gambling activities. As such, and in addition to section 161(1), the Authority will have discretion to develop codes of practice for licensees concerning the information that licensees may request from those wishing to gamble. 

In addition to the above, the Bill includes a number of safeguards to protect those participating in gambling such as enabling the Authority to make regulations to set limits on: 

• the amount of money that may be lodged when gambling online; and 
• the number of lodgements a person may make with licensees within in a particular timeframe. 

The Bill also includes a number of further measures to protect people participating in gambling such as 

• obligations on licensees to provide proper and transparen information to customers when opening an account and while participating in gambling activities;
• obliging licensees to provide facilities to allow people to set limits on the amount of money that may be lodged to their account in a particular timeframe; 
• specifying the information to be provided to people gambling online, while they are playing, to inform them of their winnings and losses; 
• obligations on licensees to train staff to be able to identify excessive and compulsive gambling behaviour according to standards set by the Authority; and 
• obligations to refund money where a person closes their account with a licensee.

[See also, Dáil Éireann debate. Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2023: Motion (29 November 2023)]