Until now, gambling in Ireland was like the lawless frontier of the American Wild West. The principal law, The Gaming and Lotteries Act, dates from 1956. The Betting Act is even older, enacted in 1931.

That meant that gambling legislation in Ireland is well over half a century old. And completely useless. To all intents and purposes gambling in Ireland has been unregulated for decades. It was a problem 30 years ago but in the last decade and a half – with the explosion of online betting – the need for reform has become critical…

The Gambling Regulation Bill has been on the table for over 15 years now.