Ireland is going to introduce a powerful gambling regulator to check problem gambling and focus on health and well-being of its citizens.
The announcement was done by Minister of State for Justice James Browne who also stated that a legislation to this effect is expected to be brought in September 2021. The regulator might start functioning by the end of this year.
The regulation of the gambling industry is a matter of concern owing to the huge market of betting, gambling, sponsorships and advertisement industry. Earlier attempts to regulate gambling sector had been made but they were unsuccessful because of lack of backing for the legislation.
According to Gambling Insider reports, Labour Senator Mark Wall, expressed his concern, stating: “What really disturbs me most is that there is no watershed on gambling advertising in this country. And our children and young adults are being exposed to a highly addictive behaviour. We have so many stories of children as young as six, especially when they were being homeschooled, asking their parents what these ads were all about.”
Minister Browne added: “It’s really important to understand that it is not simply a regulator but they will have a public health remit as their primary focus in every decision and recommendation they will make.”