The Irish government has appointed senior civil servant Anne Marie Caulfield as the CEO of Ireland’s newly established gambling regulator.
Caulfield, who was previously the director of the Residential Tenancies Board for eight years, was appointed following an open, international contest that was run by the Public Appointments Service.
Her appointment is seen as a major step forward as the government looks to implement the Gambling Regulation Bill which is expected to be signed into law in the coming months.
Ireland’s Interim Gaming and Lotteries Act was passed in December of 2020 and as part of the legislation, a new gambling regulator was to be created. However, disagreements in the Seanad (Ireland’s Senate) and the impact of the global pandemic slowed progress on implementation of the bills proposals.
The latest gambling reforms are the first in Ireland since the 1950s and will take measure to reduce the harms of gambling. these measures include tougher restrictions on gambling advertising, the banning of free bets, and a requirement that all industry operators contribute to a ‘social impact fund’ that will provide much-needed funds for gambling addiction services. According to recent reports, Ireland has 12,000 problem gamblers.
Caulfield’s responsibilities will see her provide oversight for both in-person and online gambling, gambling advertising, and the regulation of gambling websites and apps.
The Minister of State with responsibility for Law Reform James Browne spoke of Caulfield’s appointment:
“I am delighted to announce the appointment of Anne Marie Caulfield, who will bring a wealth of professional experience and expertise to the role.
Anne Marie’s preparatory work over the coming months, in parallel with the drafting and passage of the enabling legislation, will ensure that the Regulatory Authority will be ready to hit the ground running upon its establishment.
She is working closely with my Department to identify staffing and resourcing needs and to develop procedures for how the Authority will function once operational.
The early appointment of the CEO Designate will bring the benefit of continuity and leadership for the new Authority in its formative stages through to its formal establishment and commencement of its regulatory functions next year. ”
Speaking of her new role Caulfield said:
“It is a great privilege to be appointed as CEO Designate of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland. Effective and efficient regulation of this sector is crucial and I relish the challenge of putting that framework in place.
The Authority must be built on a foundation of robust legislation and I welcome the progress to date of the draft Gambling Regulation Bill.
I look forward to developing a close working relationship with all of the stakeholders in the sector, Gambling Regulators elsewhere in the EU and with Department of Justice officials.”
Caulfield is expected to take up her new role early next year.
Image credit: James Stringer / CC BY-NC 2.0
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.