Northern Ireland reportedly to update its gaming laws
Northern Ireland is getting set to amend and update its gambling laws. Northern Ireland has long been criticized for its out of date laws pertaining to gambling. Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland stated the laws must be changed to protect the citizens of Ireland and those most at risk of developing gambling related problems. He continues to states that the ultimate goal is to minimize the negative and harmful effects that gambling causes. The new law will be aimed towards ensuring criminal organizations are kept out of the industry and will further focus on protecting Ireland’s youth and elderly.
Some of those changes will include provisions to make it illegal for anyone below the legal limit of 18 to place wagers on gambling machines of any kind within the Northern Irelands jurisdiction as well as to include wagers placed with a bookmaker to be legally binding. It will include additional laws to prevent gambling on Sundays and will include laws against land based casinos from opening within its borders.
These changes and the debate regarding them will be closely watched in the coming months and determine how it will effect online gambling is not yet to be seen if any at all.