A NEW gambling watchdog will officially kick into action on Wednesday with Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan hailing the beginning of a “new era” in gambling for Ireland.

The last government legislated for the creation of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland to licence bookies and casinos and help tackle gambling addiction.

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The regulator will be in charge of ensuring all gambling companies in Ireland have the appropriate licences and adhere to new laws.

The regulator will lead on the move to ban relevant ads on TV and online before 9pm which is due to start in the coming months.

Minister O’Callaghan today signed the order to enable the new gambling watchdog to become operational from tomorrow.

The Fianna Fail TD also appointed seven people to the Gambling Authority including chair Paul Quinn, Celine Craig, Marion Kelly, Rita Purcell, David Hickson, Michael McGrath and Dr Colin O’Driscoll.

The Justice Minister said the new watchdog will welcome in a “new era” for gambling regulation in Ireland.

He said: “Today marks a new era for the regulation of gambling in the Irish State.

“The establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland is a further step towards replacing Ireland’s outdated gambling laws with a streamlined and simplified licensing framework, which will reflect the nature of modern gambling and take into account the harms associated with problem gambling, providing safeguards to protect people from those harms, especially children.

“It is designed to meet the challenges of gambling responsibly in 21st century Ireland, providing clarity for operators and for consumers and taking a responsible approach to balancing the freedom to gamble with the safeguards to protect people from falling prey to addiction.”

The legislation to create the Gambling Authority was one of the last pieces of law passed by the last Dail before the general election.

The bill bans all gambling advertising on TV and online between 5.30am and 9pm with multimillion euro fines and possible prison sentences for the execs of companies that break the ban.

The new law will also clamp down on gambling incentives from bookmakers such as free bets, VIP treatment or free hospitality.

Bookies will also be required to pay into a new social impact fund to help people struggling with addiction.