Northern Ireland Online Gambling
- What are the main motivations behind the announced review of Northern Ireland’s gambling laws, do you think? The current gambling law in Northern Ireland (NI) is complicated, written in an antiquated style (which makes it difficult for businesses to navigate) and much of it is overly-restrictive compared with other markets.
- He added that nine out of 10 respondents supported a regulatory body for gambling in Northern Ireland. But Mr McAvera also said three-fifths of respondents believed the law should be amended to.
- The Casino Regulation Committee was set up in August 2006 and its report was published in July 2008 under the title Regulating Gaming In Ireland (PDF - 2.11MB) Review of Gambling. A paper entitled Options for Regulating Gambling published in December, 2010, represented the culmination of a public consultation undertaken by the Department as.
Even though Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, the country is not governed by the Gaming Act of 1968 which is the law that brought legal gambling to Great Britain. Because Northern.
As bookies reopen their doors today, a poll reveals more than 90 per cent of people want online gambling stakes and prizes limited, with almost universal support for betting companies to contribute to addiction treatment.
The research was carried out on behalf of social policy charity CARE NI which is campaigning for gambling law change.
The mainstream Christian charity provides lobbies 'to bring Christian insight and experience to matters of public policy and practical caring initiatives'.
Northern Ireland's gambling legislation dates back to 1985 and critics argue it is not in line with with the digital age.
According to the Department for Communities' own 2017 research the north has a problem gambling prevalence rate of 2.3 per cent - more than four times higher than England where it stands at 0.5 per cent. In Scotland the figure is 0.7 per cent and in Wales 1.1 per cent.
The department held a public consultation last year on the issue, but the final report has not yet been published.
When polling company LucidTalk asked what best described their position, 92 per cent said maximum stakes and prizes online should be regulated by law, with only eight per cent saying there should be no limit.
Meanwhile, 90 per cent either strongly support (68 per cent) or support (22 per cent) the idea of a mandatory levy for gambling firms, while just five per cent were either strongly opposed or opposed to the idea of the levy.
There were 1,878 responses to the survey.
It has been suggested such charges are used to fund treatment of those with gambling addictions and for further research into the causes of problem gambling.
Northern Ireland Online Gambling Advice
CARE NI, which provides the Secretariat to the new All-Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling at Stormont, today urged the NI Executive to prioritise addressing gambling law reforms.
Public policy officer, Mark Baillie described current laws as 'hopelessly out of date and belong to a different era where online gambling didn't exist'.
'Times have changed and the recent lockdown here in Northern Ireland has only increased the pressure on people with gambling addictions.
'The uncomfortable truth is that Northern Ireland has a real problem with gambling related harms and this means it’s all the more urgent to reform our current laws.
'This polling very clearly shows doing so would be hugely popular with the general population with the clear majority supportive on stake and prize limits on online games regulated by law and a mandatory levy on betting firms.
'CARE NI responded to the Department of Communities consultation on problem gambling and we look forward to the results being published soon.
'Our politicians must make this issue a priority and address the exploitation of vulnerable people thanks to a poorly regulated gambling industry.'
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If you’re looking for an online casino, Northern Ireland has a huge number of different ones to offer, featuring all of the games you’re ever likely to want. We know that choosing the best online Northern Ireland casino can be tough though, which is why we’ve done the hard work for you. Once you’ve read through all of our reviews, you’ll be able to pick the casino that is just right for you, and start playing in a matter of minutes. Alternatively, you can head straight to the team's #1 choice, Betway Casino.
- Find the very best Northern Ireland casino online
- See if you need to pay taxes on your winnings
- Understand how gambling is regulated in NI
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Coming SoonGambling Laws in Northern Ireland
For the rest of the United Kingdom, laws about real money gambling online are pretty clear cut. In Northern Ireland though, they aren’t quite as clear. This is because there hasn’t been an update to Northern Irish gambling laws since the 1980s – way before online gambling rose to popularity. In practice though, these differing rules and regulations don’t mean that Northern Irish players can’t play online, and many do exactly that each and every day.
One big difference is the fact that the Gambling Commission isn’t responsible for regulating real money online gambling in Northern Ireland, as it is in the rest of the United Kingdom. Instead, the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the Department for Social Development. It is still good practice to look for the Gambling Commission logo on any site though, as it is a benchmark for honesty and integrity within the online gambling world.
If you’re looking for an online casino, Northern Ireland has a huge number of different ones to offer, featuring all of the games you’re ever likely to want.
The Tax Situation for Northern Irish Players
The laws surrounding real cash gambling in NI are antiquated, to say the very least. This means that it is often really difficult to work out how they affect online players. This is certainly the case when it comes to paying tax on gambling winnings. The vast majority of Northern Irish players would never consider declaring any winnings to HMRC though, and there aren’t any recent cases of HMRC pursuing those who have won at a casino online. This suggests that the taxation laws are now interpreted as being pretty much the same as the rest of the UK – which is a great thing for those using online casino sites in Northern Ireland.
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The Most Popular Games for Northern Irish Players
Real cash casino players from Northern Ireland have a full choice of games to play, thanks to the comprehensive number of online casinos available to players. When it comes to the most popular game though, the answer is clear: it’s slots, just like it is everywhere else in the UK. This is because slots are the game with the greatest variety, as well as the game with the biggest jackpots. Live casino games are also really popular, and are only going to grow in popularity in the coming months and years.
When it comes to other games that are popular with Northern Irish players, they include all of the table games, namely craps, baccarat, blackjack and poker. Video poker and roulette (which now both come in many different varieties) are also extremely popular. Regardless of the game you enjoy playing the most though, you’re almost certain to find it when you play at a Northern Ireland online casino.
We’ve Found the Top Northern Ireland Online Casinos
If you’re looking for the top online casino in Northern Ireland, there’s no need to spend ages looking around all of the different sites. Instead, you simply need to read through our reviews, which will let you know the strengths and weaknesses of each of them. Remember: we aren’t attached to any casino, so we’re under no pressure to write good reviews. This means that you can completely trust anything that we have to say.
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Get Your £1000 Bonus at Betway Now!T&C applyRegulation of online gambling is done by the Department for Social Development, and not the UK Gambling Commission, as it is in Britain.
It’s the same as anywhere else in the UK – 16 for those looking to play the National Lottery, football pools and scratchcards, and 18 for everything else.
There are not many online casinos based in Northern Ireland, due to tough licensing requirements. Players can still easily play at internet betting sites based overseas though.
Northern Ireland Online Gambling Websites
While the law is slightly complex, it is generally accepted that, like British players, those in Northern Ireland will not need to pay any tax on their winnings.
Northern Ireland Online Gambling Sites
There are a few, but as previously mentioned, the licencing regulations mean that casinos are more likely to be based overseas, particularly in places considered as tax havens.