197. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Justice the means by which the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland protect children from gambling exposure in greyhound stadia, under the new Gambling Regulation Act, 2024; if he will amend the act to ban children from that environment as in other betting venues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15858/25]

Jim O'Callaghan, Minister for Justice: I was pleased to commence parts of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 to enable the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland to become operational on 5th March 2025. At its heart, the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 is a public health measure aimed at protecting our citizens from gambling harm, including younger people and those more vulnerable in our communities. It is illegal for people under 18 to participate in gambling activities.Section 177 of the Act, when commenced, provides that it shall be an offence for a licensee to permit a child onto a premises where gambling activities are being provided. This is a continuation of the policy provided for in the Betting Act 1931 regarding the prohibition on children being present at a bookmaker’s premises.Under section 100 of the Act the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland can, upon application, make a determination as to whether children should be permitted on a premises having regard to the location and nature of the premises and subject to any conditions the Authority may specify when making its determination. The intention of this section is to allow for circumstances where gambling activity is provided on a larger campus such as a stadium, racetrack or venue that offers other activities in addition to gambling. The Act provides that children will be prohibited from taking part in gambling activities while there.