Gambling Regulation Act 2024

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Amendment of Act of 1994

265. (1) The Act of 1994 is amended—

(a) in section 2(1)—

(i) by the insertion of the following definitions:

“ ‘Act of 2024’ means the Gambling Regulation Act 2024;

‘betting licence’ has the same meaning as it has in the Act of 2024;

‘in-person betting licence’ has the same meaning as it has in the Act of 2024;

‘in-person and remote betting licence’ has the same meaning as it has in the Act of 2024;

‘pool betting’ has the same meaning as it has in the Act of 2024;”,

(ii) by the substitution of the following definition for the definition of “licensed bookmaker”:

“ ‘licensed bookmaker’ means a licensee (within the meaning of the Act of 2024) of an in-person betting licence or an in-person and remote betting licence for the time being in force under the Act of 2024 where that licence authorises the licensee to act as a bookmaker (within the meaning of section 3 (2) of the Act of 2024);”,

and

(iii) by the substitution of the following definition for the definition of “totalisator licence”:

“ ‘totalisator licence’ means a betting licence to the extent that the licence authorises the licensee (within the meaning of the Act of 2024) of that licence to provide pool betting for an event, a series of events or a class of events;”,

(b) in section 10(2), by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (k):

“(k) subject to the Act of 2024, the control of the operations of on course authorised bookmakers;”,

(c) by the substitution of the following section for section 34:

“34. The Authority or, with the consent of the Authority, a company of the Authority may—

(a) apply for and hold a totalisator licence, and

(b) provide pool betting pursuant to the licence in accordance with the Act of 2024 and, where the pool betting is provided from one or more premises specified in the licence under section 114 (2) or 115 (3) of that Act, provide the pool betting in such place or places on the premises as it thinks fit.”,

(d) in section 35, by the substitution of “an in-person betting licence or an in-person and remote betting licence that authorises the licensee of the licence to act as a bookmaker (within the meaning of section 3 (2) of the Act of 2024)” for “a bookmakers licence (within the meaning of the Betting Act 1931 )”,

(e) in section 48(6), by the substitution of “Subject to the Act of 2024, the Authority may attach to a permit granted under this section such terms and conditions” for “The Authority may attach to a permit granted under this section such terms and conditions”, and

(f) in section 53—

(i) in subsection (1)—

(I) by the substitution of “Subject to the Act of 2024 and this section, the Authority may, by regulations, provide” for “Subject to this section, the Authority may, by regulations, provide”,

(II) in paragraph (b), by the substitution of the following subparagraph for subparagraph (i):

“(i) the relevant betting activities that may be made available, and”,

and

(III) in paragraph (e), by the substitution of the following subparagraph for subparagraph (i):

“(i) the relevant betting activities that may be made available at betting offices,”,

(ii) by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (1):

“(1A) The Authority shall consult with the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland before making regulations providing for any matter referred to in paragraphs (b) to (e) of subsection (1).”,

(iii) in subsection (2), by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (a):

“(a) on any day and during such hours that are not prescribed under section 176 (1) of the Act of 2024 as days or hours, or both, during which a licensee (within the meaning of the Act of 2024) of an in person gambling licence may not open a premises in respect of which the licence is held, and”,

and

(iv) by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (4):

“(5) In this section, ‘relevant betting activity’ has the same meaning as it has in the Act of 2024.”.

(2) Notwithstanding the coming into operation of subsection (1), the Act of 1994 as it stood immediately before such coming into operation shall continue to apply in respect of the holder of a bookmaker’s licence that is in force in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 10 .

(3) Notwithstanding the coming into operation of subsection (1), where immediately before such coming into operation Horse Racing Ireland or a company or subsidiary of Horse Racing Ireland holds a totalisator licence in accordance with section 34 of the Act of 1994 as it stood immediately before such coming into operation, that Act as it stood immediately before such coming into operation and any regulations made under that Act shall, for so long as that totalisator licence remains in force, continue to apply in respect of that licence.