The newly established gambling regulator in Ireland has set out a Statement of Strategy to bolster its oversight of the industry in the next three years.
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland’s (GRAI) proposal outlines its priorities in six areas: licensing; monitoring and compliance; enforcement; consumer protection and awareness; people, organisation and governance; and digital first.
“Our work is grounded in the principles of prevention, protection and evidence-based regulation,” said GRAI chair Paul Quinn.
“This Statement of Strategy sets out the roadmap to delivering a modern, fair and trusted regulatory regime that reflects the constantly evolving nature of gambling and the expectations of the Irish public.
“Establishing the new licensing arrangements, compliance management, and enforcement functions during the term of this strategy is central to reducing the likelihood of gambling harms and will underpin a well-regulated gambling market in Ireland.”
The Statement of Strategy offers timelines on several key deliverables for getting the regulator up to speed.
In monitoring and compliance, the GRAI wants to roll out a “strong compliance regime” based on a “detailed “annual programme of inspections and compliance
monitoring activities from July 2026.
For enforcement against regulatory violations, the watchdog wants an Investigations Unit and a Civil &
Criminal Enforcement Unit to be “staffed and equipped” and sufficiently able to carry out investigations into a range of contraventions by Q3 next year.
The GRAI also wants to establish and roll out its Social Impact Fund next year.
The regulator said it is important that it is resourced to deliver its strategy to the “required standard,” noting that over the next three years the scale and complexity of its work will “continue to increase.”
“We will work to ensure that our resources are effectively deployed while continuing to run an effective organisation that meets all relevant regulatory and governance requirements.”
Jim O’Callaghan TD, minister for justice, home affairs and migration, said: “This strategy is not just about regulation; it is about educating the public, protecting those vulnerable to gambling harm and ensuring that the industry operates to the highest standards of integrity and social responsibility.
“As minister for justice, home affairs and migration I am committed to supporting the Authority in delivering on its mandate.”