Anne Marie Caulfield has been appointed chief executive officer (CEO) designate of the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland.

Caulfield was director of the Residential Tenancies Board for eight years until 2016. Most recently, she led the Capability Review Programme, which assesses and reviews the work of Government departments and offices.

Legislation to provide for the establishment of the new watchdog is currently being prepared for publication in the autumn, according to the Department of Justice.

The new body is expected to begin its work in 2023, after the Gambling Regulation Bill is enacted.

It will be responsible for regulating in-person and online gambling, gambling advertising, and gambling websites and apps.

Oversight team

The department has set up a team to oversee this process, and to ensure that preparations for the new body continue in parallel with legislation.

This work, along with the early appointment of a CEO designate, is aimed at minimising the time between the enactment of the legislation and the date on which the regulator starts its operations.

Problem gambling

James Browne (Minister of State with responsibility for Law Reform, pictured) said that Caulfield would bring “a wealth of professional experience and expertise” to the role.

“This is an incredibly important piece of work from a social perspective, and will make a real difference in preventing harm to people from problem gambling, but also to ensuring that modern and effective licensing and regulatory measures are in place for the industry,” he stated.