The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland’s draft regulation bill is not yet fit for purpose according to a new report published in the Irish Times. (Photo by CQF-Avocat on pexels.com )
The Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 for the Republic of Ireland is close to coming to fruition. However, a recent study of the framework has revealed some serious drafting issues.
One of the problems with unclear regulations is the Irish courts could end up flooded with legal cases. Where there are loopholes or ambiguous rules, lawyers may find an angle to take operators or even the regulatory authority to court.
Moreover, an uneven system may also prove counterproductive. Unclear rules may send players to black-market gambling sites. For the time being, there is no black market, but essentially all Irish casino players are playing at will become black market platforms. Most citizens currently play at Malta Gambling Authority (MGA) or Curacao (CeG) licenced casinos.
One of the first missions is to bring those players over to online casinos and sports books operating under the Gambling Regulation Bill 2022’s licensing. Yet, this could end up a frivolous task if they feel the new Irish gambling framework does not appear to work in their best interests.
Current Irish online casinos: Right now, players in the country can join any of the platforms on the Irish live casinos guide for players. However, once the new regs are live, these lists will dramatically change.
Analysis Carried Out by UK Company Regulus Partners
Regulus Partners analysed the new Irish Gambling Regulation Bill set to pass into law this year. The bill itself covers what will become the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland. Yet, reading between the lines, the UK research company has said that the rules outlined within the framework are far from ready.
In fact, the company has issued a warning. The Regulus Partners report suggests that too much ambiguity in the current draft will leave loopholes. This is because the rules could end up being left to interpretation. With so many stakeholders involved in the success of the Irish Gambling Regulation Bill, this is risky business.
Operators, software providers (game developers), tech companies offering sports betting odds, and the regulatory body itself have scope to interpret some of the rules. From the Regulus Partners analysis, the consensus is that these differences in interpretation could lead to legal battles flooding Irish courts.
See the full report: The report is headlined ‘Unclear’ gambling laws could flood courts with legal challenges published in the Irish Times news columns.
Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland Risks Loss of Reputation
The issue of ambiguity would harm the Irish gambling industry’s reputation before it even gets off the ground. Operators will only pay for application fees and accept licensing fees as well as tax payments if the laws surrounding them are stable. Yet, unstable, or ambiguous rules would put software providers and operators off making the investment into the Irish gambling market.
In comparison, we have already seen how overly strict rules have deterred operators from entering the UK gambling industry. Also, these overzealous rules have also led to major brands exiting the UK.
The constant changes in UK Gambling Regulations have left operators in the country with a guillotine over their heads at times. Not knowing what changes are on the horizon has left many UK gambling sites unsure of how to report revenues. With the latest white paper saga, all they knew was new laws are coming. They also knew these new regulations would also come with financial costs to implement technology to adhere to the White Paper changes.
Although a different situation to the Irish gambling scene, uncertainty causes unrest. Stable UK gambling laws are paramount to the industry’s success. The White Paper should have put an end to any uncertainty in the future and makes for a smoother market. One in which operators understand the costs.
Ireland Needs Stable Regulations: For a new regulatory authority, the key goal is to clean up the current Gambling Regulation Bill 2022. Ireland can then attract operators and create a safe and trustworthy regulated online gambling entertainment zone.
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