• The law on gambling in Northern Ireland is contained in the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order 1985 (the 1985 Order), as amended by the Betting and Lotteries (NI) Order 1994 which was broadly modelled on legislation in GB dating back to the 1960s and ‘70s.
• The “Regulation of Gambling in Northern Ireland Consultation” document (the “NI Consultation”) was published in order to gauge public opinion on a wide range of gambling legislative and regulatory issues, the underlying purpose being to determine whether and where reform is necessary (particularly in the eyes of those working within the.
• Northern Ireland launch a public consultation on gambling regulations December 23, 2019. The Department for Communities has today launched a consultation on gambling regulations in Northern Ireland and has asked for the for the views of all parties with an interest in this issue, so that relevant evidence can be taken into account when deciding the future of gambling regulations.

The Department for Communities (DfC) has launched a consultation on gambling law in Northern Ireland.

'OUTDATED' Northern Ireland gambling legislation could be overhauled after the Department for Communities (DfC) launched a public consultation on its future. Northern Ireland has agreed upon a public consultation which will begin looking into the rules on gambling regulations. The idea is to look more closely into the laws that govern gambling and figure out how to better apply these rules to the current gambling services operating within the country.

The public and stakeholders are being consulted on the effectiveness of the current legislation. The Department is also seeking to identify changes which should be included in any new gambling legislation.

Launching the consultation today, Tracy Meharg, DfC Permanent Secretary said: “I know that the gambling industry is an important employer in Northern Ireland and that gambling is an activity which is enjoyed responsibly by a large number of people.

“However it is very important to recognise that for some people, gambling has the potential to cause considerable harm. Any future changes to the law must balance the interests of the gambling industry with the need for regulation to protect vulnerable people.”

Tracy Meharg continued: “There is no doubt that the current legislation is outdated and has not kept pace with industry and technological changes.

“This consultation will allow everyone with an interest in gambling to share their views on the current legislation and will put the Department in a position to offer the best advice to an incoming Minister on the future regulatory framework. I would encourage all those with an interest in Northern Ireland gambling law to take the opportunity to contribute to this consultation.”

The consultation period will run from 16 December 2019 to 21 February 2020.

Details of the consultation documents can be found online.

Notes to editors:

1. Hard copies of the consultation package can be requested by e-mailing gamblingconsultation@communities-ni.gov.uk or by writing to the following address

Regulation of Gambling in Northern Ireland Consultation

Social Policy Unit

Level 8

Causeway Exchange

1-7 Bedford Street

Belfast

BT2 7EG

2. Media enquiries should be directed to the DfC Press Office on 028 90823516 or e-mail press.office@communities-ni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 90378110.

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The Gambling Control Bill was approved by Government in July 2013. This Bill will, upon enactment, repeal all extant gaming and betting legislation, with the exception of that governing the National Lottery.

The General Scheme of the Bill is with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government (OPC) awaiting drafting.

Betting Act 1931

The Betting (Amendment) Act 2015 was commenced on 15th April 2015. This legislation amends the Betting Act 1931 and provides for the licensing of remote (on-line) bookmakers and betting intermediaries for the first time.

Gambling Regulation Northern Ireland Tours

Applications for certificates of personal fitness from remote operators, and terrestrial bookmakers not ordinarily resident in the State, are to be made to the Minister for Justice, following the placement of an advertisement in two daily, national newspapers. The advertisement and the application form are to be in a specified format. You can access these at the link below:

Gambling Regulation Northern Ireland Canada

Terrestrial out of State Operators

Remote Operators

Applications for certificates of personal fitness from terrestrial bookmakers ordinarily resident in the State are to be made to a Superintendent of An Garda Síochána. The newspaper advertisement and application form for such operators can be accessed at the following link

Terrestrial Irish Operators

The application form in all instances details the information that is to be submitted in support of an application. It should be noted that an application will not be considered until such time as all such information has been received.

'relevant officer' of a corporate body is defined in section 1 of the 1931 Act as amended by section 2 of the 2015 Act. The first category of person who must apply for a certificate of personal fitness is he or she who exercises control (within the meaning of section 11 or 432 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997) in relation to the corporate body. In addition to such persons, corporate bodies may choose that an individual in either the second or third category of person as defined in section 1 applies for a certificate of personal fitness. The legislation does not require all three categories of person to be deemed a 'relevant officer'.

Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956

The Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956–2003 allow some limited forms of gambling. This is in order to provide a controlled outlet for people who wish to gamble. It also provides a method of fund-raising for charitable, philanthropic and other socially desirable purposes.

Gambling Regulation Northern Ireland Vacation Packages

The forms of gambling permitted under the 1956 Act are:

• Lotteries (excluding lotteries covered by the National Lottery Act 2013, which is under the auspices of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)
• A very limited form of gaming ('gaming' means playing a game (either of skill or chance) for money.)

For more information on gaming and lotteries, see the Review of the Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956-86 A copy of the 1956 Act is included in the review document.

The Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 2019, will come into effect on 1 December 2020. Information Notes for Gaming and Lotteries are available here: Information Notes for Gaming and Lotteries

Information notes for relevant licences and permits can be found here: Information Notes for Gaming and Lotteries

Previous examinations of Ireland’s gambling laws

Casino Regulation Committee

Gambling Regulation Northern Ireland Uk

The Casino Regulation Committee was set up in August 2006 and its report was published in July 2008 under the title Regulating Gaming In Ireland (PDF - 2.11MB)

Review of Gambling

A paper entitled Options for Regulating Gambling published in December, 2010, represented the culmination of a public consultation undertaken by the Department as part of an overall review of gambling in Ireland.

Charitable Lotteries Fund

The scheme has now ceased to operate.