Senior civil servant appointed as State’s first gambling regulator

A senior civil servant has been appointed as the State’s first gambling regulator.

Anne Marie Caulfield, who was previously the director of the Residential Tenancies Board for eight years, will take up the position next year.

Her appointment follows an open, international competition run by the Public Appointments Service.

The setting up of a regulator was a key part of the Gambling Regulation Bill which is expected to become legislation in the autumn.

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Legislation to tackle gambling was included in the Programme for Government agreed by the three coalition parties in 2020.

The problems of online gambling has prompted a review of the legislation in Ireland which has not been updated since the 1950s.

The proposed bill will seek to curb gambling advertising and ensure that the industry contributes to a “social impact fund” to counteract gambling addiction.

The regulator will have responsibility for regulating both in-person and online gambling, gambling advertising, gambling websites and apps.

The Minister of State with responsibility for Law Reform James Browne described the legislation as an “incredibly important piece of work from a social perspective and “will make a real difference in preventing harm to people from problem gambling.

“Greater regulation of the gambling industry in Ireland has long been called for and is a key priority for me as minister.”

He anticipated that Ms Caulfield will bring a “wealth of professional experience and expertise to the role”.

Ms Caufield was director of the Residential Tenancies Board between 2008 and 2016.

Prior to that she was involved in EU Cohesion policy negotiations, overseeing the administration of €800m Structural Funds and a number of North-South matters.

Most recently, she led the Capability Review Programme, a key action under the 2030 Civil Service Reform agenda.

Anne Marie Caulfield has extensive experience in senior roles in the Civil and Public Service which are directly relevant to the role of chief executive of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland.

She has substantial regulatory policy and operational regulatory experience, having held the position of Director (CEO) of the Residential Tenancies Board for eight years (2008 – 2016). In this role she led the development of the RTB ESRI Rent Index, overseeing several research publications and a suite of ICT projects.

Most recently, sled the Capability Review Programme, a key action under the 2030 Civil Service Reform agenda.ment of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER). In this role she was involved in EU Cohesion policy negotiations, overseeing the administration of €800m Structural Funds and a number of North-South matters, include the PEACE programme and the North-South Ministerial Council.

Most recently she led the capability review programme, a key action under the 2030 Civil Service Reform agenda.

Appointed to the position of principal Officer in 2006, she also has extensive governance experience, including serving on the Board of Directors of the Heritage Council and on audit/finance/risk Committees of a number of public bodies including the Heritage Council, Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and MBA, both from UCD.