Compliance Updates
Ireland’s New Gambling Regulator to Begin Work on Phased Basis Next Year
Ireland’s new gambling regulator is likely to begin overseeing betting businesses in the Republic midway through next year, industry figures predict.
President Micheal D Higgins recently signed the new Gambling Regulation Act, which overhauls licensing and creates a new authority to govern betting firms, into law. Industry figures forecast that the new regime should begin operating midway through next year, a key point for many businesses as they will have to renew online betting licences by that time.
Government also has to pass several milestones before the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland can start functioning, including appointing the seven people the body requires.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee appointed senior civil servant Anne Marie Caulfield as chief executive designate of the authority in summer 2022. Her office has 11 staff. According to the Department of Justice, the State’s Public Appointments Service will shortly begin recruiting the authority’s seven members.
The Minister will appoint the candidates the service recommends.
The department could not say when the authority would start regulating but noted this would happen in a phased “timely manner” after its establishment.
Jack Chambers, Minister for Finance, earmarked €9.1 million for the authority next year in this month’s budget. That includes €4 million for technology.
Ms Caulfield wrote to industry organisations last week confirming that her organisation would begin its work on a “phased basis” but pointing out that it has already completed many preparations. In a statement she said that the authority was committed to keeping the industry fully informed so businesses can “plan for the new regulatory regime”.
Meanwhile, the Public Service Appointments Service last week advertised for someone to head the authority’s social fund. Under the new law’s provisions, betting businesses will contribute to this fund which the authority will use to tackle problem gambling.
Betting businesses regard the fund’s establishment as one of the key steps towards establishing the new regime.
Alongside that, they say that the authority will also have to set up its new licensing system. The law demands that all gambling businesses operating in the Republic be licensed and makes it a criminal offence to operate without a proper permit.
Lawyers at Arthur Cox recently noted that current permits are preserved until licensing sections of the act come into force. Existing high street and online bookies’ licences will have a run-off period, but lawyers said that how this would work in practice depended on how the regulator developed the new system.
Betting businesses are keen that the authority works on a national self-exclusion register for customers who voluntarily ask bookmakers not to take their bets. Currently, most individual bookies have systems where customers who fear they have a problem, or are at risk, can exclude themselves in this way.
The post Ireland’s New Gambling Regulator to Begin Work on Phased Basis Next Year appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
EveryMatrix has obtained official licensing consent to provide its complete platform technology in South Africa, with its client pipeline quickly expanding throughout the continent and significant customer launches approaching.
EveryMatrix South Africa (EMSA) has obtained a manufacturer’s license from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board and is now permitted to offer its modular and turnkey platform solutions in sports, casino, player account management (PAM), payments, and affiliate management to top local and international operators.
The tier-1 technology provider has achieved considerable progress throughout Africa recently, collaborating with numerous local brands and finalizing agreements with several others set to launch in the upcoming months.
The purchase of FSB Technology has also given it additional access to South Africa and various other developed and developing iGaming markets on the continent.
An increasing number of major local and global tier-1 operators, as well as World Lottery Association member organizations in essential regulated markets, are choosing EveryMatrix’s turnkey platform technology.
Mark Schmidt, Managing Director, Africa, EveryMatrix, said: “Bringing our full suite of turnkey platform products into South Africa under our new licence is enabling us to power some of the biggest brands here, giving them access to technology that will instantly unlock their potential and drive market growth. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be announcing some major deals so watch this space.
“Our casino, sports, PAM, payments, games and content aggregation and affiliate management solutions, supported by our local experts who understand their needs and challenges are providing an offering no one else has been able to offer so far in South Africa and across the continent.”
The post EveryMatrix gains South Africa licence with customer launch pipeline on the rise appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
During its review of gambling operators’ 2026 promotional strategies, the French National Gaming Authority (ANJ) observed a significant increase in their promotional budgets (over 25%), which they attributed in particular to the FIFA World Cup calendar. In this context, to prevent any risk of advertising overexposure and the development of excessive gambling, the ANJ has asked all operators not to exceed their announced budgets.
FIFA’s recent announcement of the introduction of water breaks (or “hydration breaks”) during the Football World Cup, leading to the introduction of 2 minutes of additional advertising breaks during each match, has reinforced the concerns of the ANJ.
Given the prevalence of problem gambling in sports betting (15.3%), and the fact that 18% of 18-24 year olds were gambling in 2024, this announcement does indeed raise fears of an intensification of advertising pressure on the most vulnerable players.
During discussions with the ANJ (National Gaming Authority), ADMTV (which represents all the advertising sales houses of television broadcasters and streaming services) informed them that a major broadcaster had decided not to sell refreshment breaks to advertisers in the gambling sector. This broadcaster also committed to respecting the codes of conduct and recommendations established by ARCOM, ANJ and ARPP since 2022. The ANJ has taken note of this.
Following this announcement, it calls on all stakeholders, broadcasters as well as gambling operators, to exercise restraint in promoting these new spaces, including in activating their partnerships.
Furthermore, it reiterates its call for broadcasters to respect the rules prohibiting advertising for illegal gambling and games of chance, particularly online casinos.
Finally, she asks the legislator to take up in the future her proposal to establish a whistle-to-whistle ban and a strengthened framework for sponsorship of major sporting events.
The post ANJ Warns French Gambling Operators Over 2026 World Cup Ad Budgets appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
REEVO, the iGaming aggregation powerhouse, has announced that the company has been granted an official MGA B2B Licence by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), further reinforcing REEVO’s commitment to regulatory excellence and its continued expansion across regulated markets worldwide.
This major milestone reflects REEVO’s dedication to delivering compliant, secure and scalable aggregation solutions to operators globally, while strengthening trust and long-term partnerships across the iGaming ecosystem.
With the MGA B2B licence in place, REEVO continues to elevate its position as a trusted supplier in regulated jurisdictions, offering partners the stability, integrity and performance needed to thrive in today’s evolving market landscape.
“This achievement represents another key step in REEVO’s global growth strategy. Securing an MGA B2B licence strengthens our ability to support operators with confidence, while reinforcing REEVO’s long-term commitment to compliance, reliability, and innovation,” said Karl Grech, Head of Business Development at REEVO.
The post REEVO Secures MGA B2B Licence appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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