Anne Marie Caulfield, a veteran civil servant, has been appointed chief executive of the new gambling authority of the Republic of Ireland—which would be created by the pending Gambling Regulation Bill before the Oireachtas Éireann, the country’s bicameral parliament.
This would be the first major change to Irish gaming laws since the 1950s.
The new agency would have the authority to license and regulate all betting businesses in Ireland. It will also have enforcement capabilities, including authority to impose financial sanctions on rule-breakers.
Caulfield previously directed the Residential Tenancies Board along with many other civil service positions.
Ireland’s bookies welcome the news. Flutter Entertainment’s U.K. and Irish division’s CEO Conor Grant, told the Irish Times, “This represents clear progress towards the establishment of the authority, which should have broad powers to respond to the dynamic and fast-paced nature of our industry.” Irish-based Flutter owns Paddy Power, one of the largest bookmakers in the country.
Sharon Byrne, chairwoman of the Irish Bookmakers’ Association, added, “This represents a major milestone in the development of the regulation of the sector, which the IBA has called for over many years.”
