A leading Irish legal firm believes the gambling advertising watershed that threatens to end Racing TV’s coverage in Ireland will likely come into effect in 2026.
Ireland’s Gambling Regulation Bill completed the legislative process in both houses of the Oireachtas on Wednesday evening and is poised to be signed into law by president Michael D Higgins imminently.
It includes a daytime gambling advertising watershed between 5.30am and 9pm which Racing TV has repeatedly asserted would render its Irish coverage “economically unviable”.
Legal firm A&L Goodbody suggests it will likely take until 2026 for a replacement licensing system, created by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), to be introduced, while it also warned inducements offered by bookmakers, including potentially enhanced each-way terms, will contravene the impending legislation unless they are “offered to the general public”.
