New Bill
Watching horse racing on TV is an intrinsic part of Irish sporting culture, but its future could be under threat with the launch of the country’s proposed Gambling Regulation Bill.
The Bill is set to be examined in the Seanad later this week, with further amendments likely to be submitted.
Tight Advertising Rules
The Gambling Regulation Bill, which will help control the online gambling market in Ireland, has been a big topic of discussion in the country over the last few years. It looks as though The Bill could be enacted in the next few weeks, with the future of Irish TV horse racing being up in the air.
The Bill will propose a ban on gambling advertising on Irish TV between 5:30 am and 9 pm. This would have a major impact on horse racing, which relies heavily on promoting bookmakers and odds.
Both Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing have issued warnings that these proposals would make it nearly impossible for them to continue broadcasting in the country.
Final Stages
Proposals to regulate gambling in Ireland have been ongoing for some time, and there is set to be serious progress made in the coming weeks. The Gambling Regulation Bill completed the legislative stage in DaiilEirerann, the country’s lower house, earlier this year and has been with the committee in the Seanad, the Upper House, since May.
The Seanad is set to return from its summer break this week, with plans in place for amendments to be proposed to the bill. It then has three more stages to pass before the President signs it into law.
However, there is some concern that the Bill will face further knockbacks, with a general election looming for the country. While it is scheduled for March 2025, Taoiseach Simon Harris has not ruled out calling one before the end of 2024, which would put a number of proposals on hold as the country heads to the polls.
