Justice, home affairs and migration minister Jim O’Callaghan has signed an order commencing key aspects of the landmark Gambling Regulation Act 2024 from tomorrow.

The order paves the way for the new authority to start accepting and processing applications and issuing licenses for remote and in-person betting operators.

It also also commences the necessary enforcement and oversight and complaints mechanisms that underpin the new licensing framework.

In addition, the order commences those sections of the Act that amend and repeal existing legislation on the statute book, repealing the Totalisator Act 1929 and the Betting Act 1931 in particular.

Mr O’Callaghan said: “Today marks another important step towards replacing Ireland’s outdated gambling laws with a streamlined and simplified licensing framework.

“This reflects the nature of modern gambling and takes into account the harms associated with problem gambling, by providing safeguards to protect people from those harms, especially children.

“The authority can issue licences for new entrants as soon as is feasible, licence remote operators from 1 July 2026 and in-person operators from 1 December 2026, when their existing licences, issued by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, expire.

“The Act provides the Authority with the necessary enforcement powers to take appropriate and focused action where licensees fail to comply with licensing terms, conditions and regulations, and to deal with unlicensed operators, those operating without the correct licence, or those in contravention of the terms of a licence issued by the authority.”