Although we primarily collect items related to alcohol and other drugs, we also add items on process addictions, including gambling.

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Gambling – All - Gambling (no news or debates) - Gambling – Ireland - Gambling – International

Items from our collection relating to gambling:

Risks / initiation - Prevention / harm reduction - Screening / assessment - Prevalence - Harms - Treatment / recovery

Policy - Legislation - Industry - Reward (behaviour) - Money (issues) - Marketing - Gambling type (betting, sports, games...)

Other process addiction - Substance use

Items from our collection relating to gambling and Ireland:

Risks / initiation - Prevention / harm reduction - Screening / assessment - Prevalence - Harms - Treatment / recovery

Policy - Legislation - Industry - Reward (behaviour) - Money (issues) - Marketing - Gambling type (betting, sports, games...)

Other process addiction - Substance use

Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland

The Programme for Government commits to establishing ‘a gambling regulator focused on public safety and well-being, covering gambling online and in-person, and the powers to regulate advertising, gambling websites and apps’. A Social Impact Fund will be funded by mandatory contributions by Licensees. Contributions will not be levied on charitable/philanthropic licensees. The purpose of the Fund is to finance research and related initiatives to reduce and eliminate compulsive and excessive gambling, to support awareness–raising and educational measures and to support problem gambling treatment activities. The fund will be administered by the Authority and will operate a comprehensive grants management system for the purpose of awarding grants via the fund.

The bill also provides for the establishment and operation of the ‘National Gambling Exclusion Register’. The Register will allow persons to register with the Authority to exclude themselves from gambling online with licensees. The Register will be software based and remote licensees must comply with the terms of the Register, ensure their IT systems and software are compatible and can interact with the Authority’s systems as a requirement of holding a licence. On 19 October 2021, the Government approved the publication of the General Scheme of the Gambling Regulation Bill and for the legislation to proceed for drafting by the Office of the Attorney General. The purpose of the legislation is to provide for an improved and modern approach to the licensing and regulation of gambling in Ireland today – one that reflects the reality of the various gambling activities available in the State and recognises the impact of technology on the conduct of such activities. The legislation sets out the framework and legislative basis for the establishment of a new independent, statutory body – the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (“the Authority”) – and for a robust regulatory and licensing regime for the gambling sector. The Bill was enacted as of 23rd Oct 2024.

The Act and related documents can be accessed below:

• (2024) Gambling Regulation Act 2024 (Act 35 of 2024) (with links to history of the Act)
• (2022) Joint Committee on Justice. (2022) Report on pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the gambling regulation Bill. Dublin: Houses of the Oireachtas
• (2021) General Scheme of the Gambling Regulation Bill
• (2021) Regulatory Impact Analysis – Gambling Regulation Bill
• Department of Justice and Equality (2019) Inter-Departmental Working Group on Future Licensing and Regulation of Gambling. Report to Government. Dublin: Department of Justice and Equality.
• McCann FitzGerald (2019) Final report on the establishment of a modern regulatory environment and authority for all gambling activities licensed in Ireland. Dublin: Department of Justice and Equality.

The Gambling Regulatory Authority website provides information for licensees and advice for public - Get Help; Struggling with gambling; Pinpoint your triggers.

This page was last updated in April 2025.