Message 001
Communication from the Commission - TRIS/(2025) 1535
Directive (EU) 2015/1535
Notification: 2025/0301/IE
Notification of a draft text from a Member State
Notification – Notification – Notifzierung – Нотификация – Oznámení – Notifikation – Γνωστοποίηση – Notificación – Teavitamine – Ilmoitus – Obavijest – Bejelentés – Notifica – Pranešimas – Paziņojums – Notifika – Kennisgeving – Zawiadomienie – Notificação – Notificare – Oznámenie – Obvestilo – Anmälan – Fógra a thabhairt
Does not open the delays - N'ouvre pas de délai - Kein Fristbeginn - Не се предвижда период на прекъсване - Nezahajuje prodlení - Fristerne indledes ikke - Καμμία έναρξη προθεσμίας - No abre el plazo - Viivituste perioodi ei avata - Määräaika ei ala tästä - Ne otvara razdoblje kašnjenja - Nem nyitja meg a késéseket - Non fa decorrere la mora - Atidėjimai nepradedami - Atlikšanas laikposms nesākas - Ma jiftaħx il-perijodi ta’ dewmien - Geen termijnbegin - Nie otwiera opóźnień - Não inicia o prazo - Nu deschide perioadele de stagnare - Nezačína oneskorenia - Ne uvaja zamud - Inleder ingen frist - Ní osclaíonn sé na moilleanna
MSG: 20251535.EN
1. MSG 001 IND 2025 0301 IE EN 12-06-2025 IE NOTIF
2. Ireland
3A. National Standards Authority of Ireland, 1 Swift Square, Northwood, Santry, Dublin 9, D09 A0E4
3B. Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, Ballaugh House, 73 Mount St Lower, Dublin 2, D02 PX37.
4. 2025/0301/IE - H10 - Games of chance
5. Gambling (Licensing of Gambling Activities) Regulations 2025
6. Business to Consumer Gambling as defined in the Gambling Regulation Act 2024
7.
8. The draft regulations prescribe that a Business to Consumer gambling licence shall remain in place for a period of three years.
In addition, the draft regulations prescribe conditions which shall apply to Business to Consumer remote gambling licences which are additional to those set out in Chapter 9 of Part 5 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 ("the 2024 Act").
The prescribed conditions will apply to remote Business to Consumer gambling licences. At the time that initial licences are granted, it is expected that the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland ("the Authority") will not have set standards in relation to gambling products and services under section 123 of the 2024 Act, or if they have that they will not have taken effect at the time that initial licences are issued. In addition, it is expected that when initial licenses are issued, the National Gambling Exclusion Register may not be established in such a manner that allows a licensee to view in real time information on the register. This means that the standard licensing checks on the relevant software to be used by the licensee will not take place in advance of initial licences being issued. The purpose of the conditions is to enable the Authority to carry out these checks after licences have been issued, and at the appropriate time (i.e. when the register is established and when standards have been set and are in effect).
9. Section 108 enables the Authority to prescribe a licence duration period. Section 129 enables the Authority to prescribe additional conditions to those set out in Chapter 9 of Part 5 of the 2024 Act.
Explanatory Memo
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland ("the Authority") is making regulations. These regulations do the following:
a. Set the duration for which a gambling licence remains in force. This is provided for under section 38 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 ("the 2024 Act"); and
b. Set out some additional conditions which will apply to gambling licences. This is provided for under section 129 of the 2024 Act.
Licence duration
Section 108(4) of the 2024 Act allows the Authority to set a period during which a Business to Consumer gambling licence remains in force. Initially, the Authority intends to set a period of 3 years for all Business to Consumer gambling licences.
The Authority intends to adopt a phased approach to commencing the licensing function, with different licence categories opening at different times. Having a licence duration of three years is consistent with, and supports, this phased approach to opening licensing. It should enable all categories of licensees to be onboarded before a licence renewal cycle commences.
Additional conditions
There are a number of conditions that will apply to all licenses. These are set out in Chapter 9 of Part 5 of the 2024 Act.
Section 129 of the 2024 Act allows the Authority to make regulations prescribing additional conditions that will apply to licenses.
In these regulations, the Authority prescribes two further conditions that will apply to remote gambling Business to Consumer licences.
At the time when initial applicants are granted licences, some standard licensing checks will not be carried out where the gambling activity concerned is to be provided by remote means. These checks include the following:
• Where the software used or to be used has been manufactured or adapted by the proposed licensee, that the software meets standards set by the Authority under section 123 of the 2024 Act, and which are in effect at that time.
• Where the software used or to be used has been manufactured or adapted by a third party, that the proposed licensee is or will be obtaining the software concerned from a Business-to-Business licensee.
• Where the proposed licensee has installed or will install, maintains or will maintain and upgrades or will upgrade the software used or to be used in the gambling activity concerned, that such gambling related services meet standards set by the Authority under section 123 of the 2024 Act, and which are in effect at that time.
• Where a third party has installed or will install, maintains or will maintain, and upgrades or will upgrade the software used or to be used in the gambling activity concerned, that such gambling related services are or will be provided by a Business-to-Business licensee.
• That the software to be used by the licensee enables the licensee to view, in real time, the information contained in the National Gambling Exclusion Register. [This register will contain information on people who have excluded themselves from participating in remote gambling]
The reason that these checks will not be carried out when initial applicants are granted licences is because, at that time, we expect that relevant standards under section 123 of the 2024 Act will not have been set, or if they have, they will not be in effect. These standards include standards relating to the software used to provide the gambling activity concerned by remote means. In addition, at that time, we expect that the National Gambling Exclusion Register will not be established in such a way that proposed licensees will be able to have software which enables them to view, in real time, information contained in that register.
The purpose of the conditions is to enable the Authority to carry out these checks after licences have been granted
10. References of the Basic Texts:
11. No
12.
13. No
14. No
15. No
16.
TBT aspects: No
SPS aspects: No
**********
European Commission
Contact point Directive (EU) 2015/1535
email: grow-dir2015-1535-central@ec.europa.eu
