Ireland gambling regulator signs agreement with UKGC
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) has announced that it has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) in Dublin. On April 2, 2025, the GRAI hosted the CEO of the UKGC in Dublin where the MOU was signed, the agreement marks a significant step toward streamlining regulatory practices, increasing transparency and enhancing information sharing between two key players in the gambling industry.
Further collaboration with gambling regulators across EU
The MOU is not just about creating stronger ties between the GRAI and the UK Gambling Commission; it’s about laying down the foundation for further collaboration with gambling regulators across the European Union. In this case, the agreement lays out broad principles of cooperation to enhance the effectiveness of gambling regulation.
The primary objective of this MOU is to ensure that both regulatory bodies can work more closely together in several crucial areas. These include:
- Sharing Information: By opening channels for information exchange, the two authorities can better monitor gambling activities and detect any irregularities across borders.
- Compliance: Both the GRAI and the UK Gambling Commission aim to strengthen compliance monitoring, ensuring that gambling operators adhere to the rules and regulations in place.
- Enforcement: The cooperation will make it easier to enforce laws and take swift action against operators who violate gambling regulations.
- Harmonisation of Practices: The MOU seeks to harmonise the regulatory practices between the UK and Ireland, which share many of the same operators and gambling behaviors.
Discussions on compliance, monitoring, and more
Apart from signing the MOU, the CEOs also held a constructive bilateral meeting which discussed areas like compliance, monitoring, and enforcement. In addition, regulatory matters relevant to both jurisdictions were also discussed. This marks the first of a series of MOUs which the GRAI intends to put in place with gambling regulators across the EU in the coming months.
CEO of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, Anne Marie Caulfield said, “This Memorandum of Understand with the UK Gambling Commission is an important step in formalising the working relationship between the two regulators and I would like to thank Andrew Rhodes, and a number of his colleagues across the various areas of the Commission for their advice and support over the past number of months.
Ireland and the UK share many of the same operators and gambling practices, so putting this agreement in place will enhance our ability to share information and discharge our respective regulatory responsibilities effectively. Open dialogue and close cooperation between both jurisdictions is paramount and I greatly look forward to continuing this close cooperation’s for the years to come.“
Andrew Rhodes took to LinkedIn to share his thoughts, “I am very pleased to have signed the first MOU with the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland on behalf of the Gambling Commission, and honoured for us to be the first international regulator the GRAI has signed an MOU with. It was also great to spend time with the team in Dublin and discuss many areas of common interest and co-operation.”
