Statement by the Irish Bookmakers Association on the appointment of the CEO of Gambling Regulator Authority.
08 September 2022: The Irish Bookmakers Association (IBA) welcomes the appointment of the new CEO Designate of the Gambling Regulatory Authority, Ms Anne Marie Caulfield. Having called for regulation of the sector for many years, the IBA welcomes this significant step towards developing a national regulatory regime for the gambling industry.
The IBA looks forward to engaging with the new CEO, when she has taken up her role, to continue to develop the highest standards for safer gambling in Ireland and will continue to work with all stakeholders to progress the necessary legislation.
The IBA has made significant strides to increase player protections including most recently updating its code of practice for Safer Gambling which was announced in August 2021 and looks forward to the further progress which can be made through the forum provided for by the new Regulator.
The 2021 updates to the Code of Practice included an industry-wide ban on the use of credit cards, both online and in shops, for Irish customers and a pre-watershed whistle-to-whistle advertising ban for live sport.
This is the latest in a series of initiatives to promote safe and responsible gambling led by the Irish Bookmakers association over the last thirteen years, which has included:
- February 2010 – First national gambling helpline established, the Dunlewey helpline
- December 2013 – Publication of the first Responsible Gambling Code
- July 2014 – Think 21 – Age verification Code introduced
- April 2017 – Responsible Gambling training portal established
- February 2018 – Responsible Gambling Week launched
- March 2019 – Assisted in establishment of The Gambling Awareness Trust
- August 2021 – Update to the Safer Gambling Code, with international adoption
Chairperson of the IBA, Sharon Byrne said, ‘We welcome the appointment of the Designate CEO of the Gambling Regulatory Authority, Ms Anne Marie Caulfield. This represents a major milestone in the development of the regulation of the sector, which the IBA has called for over many years. When appropriate, we look forward to working with the new Regulator to adopt further evidence-based measures to minimise gambling related harm.’
ENDS.