GRAI Addressing Concerns About Licensing Terms and Conditions
The GRAI has addressed concerns from industry figures about various licensing issues.
GRAI addresses concerns regarding licensing fees and duration. © seanegriffin, Pixabay
Key Facts:
- The GRAI has addressed licensing concerns after holding its first public consultation
- The Irish gambling regulator has acknowledged concerns from 27 operators, organisations and companies
- There were three key areas that the feedback focused on
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) carried out a public consultation under the Gambling Regulation Act 2004. Various people within the industry expressed concerns about the GRAI’s approach to licensing, with fees and licence duration, in particular, being the focus of people’s queries.
The GRAI recently published a response to these concerns after conducting an in-depth review of 27 formal submissions. These came from a range of public bodies, gambling site operators and civil society organisations. As well as fees and licence duration, the feedback highlighted some additional licence conditions.
According to the GRAI, most of the feedback it received through the submissions was positive. The regulatory released the following statement:
The majority of submissions, particularly from industry operators, expressed either supportive or pragmatic views on the proposals, including constructive suggestions for enhancement, rather than fundamental objections.– GRAI, The GRAI Comments on Licence Concerns, SBC News
Licensing Fees
Of the three key areas highlighted in the feedback, the one that people seemed to be most concerned about was the structure of the application fee. Many had a problem with the fact that turnover would be used for calculating costs.
They said that using turnover in this way could end up penalising businesses that have small margins. It wouldn’t be fair for smaller businesses to be affected in this way. Also, some people had problems with the methodology itself, saying it wasn’t clear how things would work.
In response to this, the GRAI acknowledged that the term’ turnover’ could be misinterpreted. The regulator announced plans to issue documents that would provide guidance on how the term should be interpreted so that there will be no legal complications.
The €1,200 premises fee charged by the GRAI attracted criticism, with some stakeholders saying it was too much and would negatively impact smaller brick-and-mortar venues. The GRAI responded that it would further clarify the fee, which is important since all venues have to pay it.
The regulator also emphasised that the fees are a vital part of Ireland’s new regulatory system. It justified them by explaining that it has a wider range of responsibilities than the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), taking on roles the UKGC doesn’t have; these belong to local councils instead.
The Length of a Licence
Another key issue that came up was how long a licence would last. The GRAI initially proposed a period of three years for all licences. Some respondents have called for the length to be increased to five years, which would be the same as a number of other EU markets.
While GRAI accepted the requests, it still plans on limiting licences to three years maximum. The regulatory authority feels that this length of time is appropriate for now, though it will continue to review licence length and may increase it at a future date.
Other points that were raised include clearer guidance on administrative requirements and renewal fees. The GRAI appreciated that these matters needed to be clearer and promised to provide operators with full information about these issues well ahead of time.
European Commission Applications
The GRAI is now preparing to provide the European Commission with its full licensing framework details. It will do so via the Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS) procedure, which is necessary to ensure things fall in line with regulation standards throughout the EU.
Lastly, the GRAI confirmed that it plans to continue communicating with stakeholders, operators, and other industry officials as it launches its licensing framework. The regulatory authority will also offer further guidance on issues related to licensing whenever necessary.
