James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 544 and 545 together.

The Programme for Government includes a clear commitment to reform gambling legislation, with a focus on public safety and well-being. The Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 will cover gambling online and in person, and include powers to regulate advertising, gambling websites and apps.

When established, Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), will be provided with the necessary enforcement powers to enable it to take appropriate and focused action where providers are failing to comply with the provisions of the Authority’s licensing terms, conditions and regulations.

A Programme Board has been established in my Department to ensure that the legislation and the operational preparations are progressed in parallel so that the Authority is in a position to commence operations, on a phased basis, as soon as possible after enactment and appointment of the Authority members. Planning is progressing in the expectation that the legislation will progress through the Houses of the Oireachtas in the coming months.

In this regard, I am pleased to say that the CEO Designate of the GRAI has been appointed and is progressing important preparatory work. Expenditure of €162,000 was incurred in 2022 in respect of advance preparatory work. Provision of €1.774m has been made in the vote of my Department for 2023 and €4.05m for 2024 to meet associated costs.

Considerable progress has been made by the CEO Designate on the establishment of the GRAI, including:

- Extensive and ongoing stakeholder engagement with other Gambling Regulators, industry participants, health care professionals, Gambling Care experts and other public bodies;

- The preparation, approval and publication of a public tender for essential ICT infrastructure;

- Agreement with the ESRI on a research programme on Gambling in Ireland, with publication of the first such study on the 20 June 2023 and the second study, on the measurement of Gambling Harm on 5 October 2023;

- Commissioning KPMG (via OGP tender) to undertake research and analysis into (i) financial modelling and (ii) licensing fee structures to inform and underpin the GRAI’s future self-financing status

- Mapping of licence application vetting/approval processes, based on best practice elsewhere, continues to progress;

- Research and drafting of the Codes of Practice, based on the Bill, as well as best practice elsewhere, is progressing;

- Exploration of options for a Gambler Exclusion scheme, informed by the experience of other countries, is underway;

- The recruitment process in respect of a Director of Licensing, Director of Technology/Digital First and Director of People & Corporate Services has been completed. The successful candidates have accepted their offers of employment and are due to begin in their positions in January 2024.