Compliance Updates
Ireland Embraces GRAI: Transforming the Landscape of Online Betting
The Minister for Justice, Mr Jim O’Callaghan T.D. has signed the order to commence parts of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 to enable the Authority to become operational and the order to establish Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, on a statutory basis.
Minister O’Callaghan has also approved the appointment of the seven members of this new, independent Authority, who will be appointed and commence their roles with effect from tomorrow, 5 March, 2025. They will be the members of the Authority which is responsible for regulating and licencing all gambling providers in the State and which has wide ranging powers to regulate both in-person and online gambling, gaming and most lotteries.
Mr. Paul Quinn has been appointed as chair of the Authority and the other newly appointed members are as follows:
• Ms. Celine Craig
• Ms. Marion Kelly
• Ms. Rita Purcell
• Mr. David Hickson
• Mr. Michael McGrath
• Dr. Colin O’Driscoll
Minister O’Callaghan said:“Today marks a new era for the regulation of gambling in the Irish State.
“The establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland is a further step towards replacing Ireland’s outdated gambling laws with a streamlined and simplified licensing framework, which will reflect the nature of modern gambling and take into account the harms associated with problem gambling, providing safeguards to protect people from those harms, especially children.
“It is designed to meet the challenges of gambling responsibly in 21st century Ireland, providing clarity for operators and for consumers and taking a responsible approach to balancing the freedom to gamble with the safeguards to protect people from falling prey to addiction.
“I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work of my predecessor, Minister Helen McEntee and Minister James Browne, in the development of this legislation.”
Minister O’Callaghan added: “I warmly congratulate Mr. Paul Quinn on his appointment as Chair of the new Authority and each of the newly appointed Authority members and wish them well in their new roles.
“The newly appointed members will now join CEO Anne-Marie Caulfield and her staff in commencing the Authority’s operations and legislative powers, on a phased basis. I understand that this includes, as a priority, work on progressing the licensing process, with a view to inviting applications for some licence types within the coming year.”
In accordance with the provisions of section 17 of the 2024 Act, appointments to the Authority will be for an initial period of three or four years. All members of the Authority may be reappointed for a second four-year term.
Speaking this morning, Minister Browne stated: “Minister O’Callaghan’s actions today mark the culmination of much hard work and dedication by Minister McEntee, Ms. Caulfield, Minister O’Callaghan and myself, supported by a core team of Authority staff and Departmental officials.
“I am pleased and encouraged at this Government’s commitment to continuing the phased commencement of the Authority’s operations and legislative powers as a priority.”
Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, T.D., commented: “I welcome today’s development as an important step towards ensuring that the harms associated with gambling are minimised. I look forward to the Department of Health working with the Gambling Regulatory Authority on initiatives to promote and progress this important goal.”
Welcoming the establishment of the Authority and the appointment of its members, the CEO of the GRAI Anne-Marie Caulfield said: ‘I greatly welcome the appointment of the seven-member Authority and the establishment of Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann. I would like to thank the Ministers, Oireachtas members, the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and Department of Justice officials for their work in bringing about our establishment.
“I look forward to fulfilling our mandate and delivering a safe, well-regulated and transparent sector, with consumer protection at its core.”
The post Ireland Embraces GRAI: Transforming the Landscape of Online Betting appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Africa
EveryMatrix gains South Africa licence with customer launch pipeline on the rise
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.
ANJ
ANJ Warns French Gambling Operators Over 2026 World Cup Ad Budgets
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.
Compliance Updates
REEVO Secures MGA B2B Licence
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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