Northern Ireland announced plans to conduct a comprehensive review of its 2022 Gambling Reform in 2027. This was recently confirmed by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons.
According to the Minister, the review will examine whether the changes introduced under the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements Act 2022 are working as intended. Lyons made the announcement during questions at the Northern Ireland Assembly at the end of September 2026.
The Minister added the review should help inform future gambling legislation, while stopping short of committing his department to introducing a new reform Bill during the current Assembly mandate.
Gambling Reform to Remain a Future Priority
Lyons told MLA Philip McGuigan that he had already concluded that comprehensive gambling reform could not be delivered during the current mandate due to the scale and complexity involved.
In his words, gambling was a complex and constantly evolving sector, as he pointed to the technological developments, particularly in UK online casinos, as one of the issues future legislation will need to address.
The Minister explained that the responsibility for deciding the details of future legislation would ultimately lie with the next administration. However, he stressed that work is already underway to ensure the next Minister does not have to start from scratch.
Officials have been instructed to continue assessing the existing statutory protections and gathering evidence on potential shortcomings. The department is also comparing Northern Ireland’s current gambling framework with systems in other parts of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Lyons noted the work applies to not only the substance of potential legislation but also how a future regulatory regime could be administered and enforced.
“It will probably be one of the largest pieces of legislation, if not the largest, that we will ever take through the House,” said the Minister.
Online Gambling and Industry Levy Under Consideration
Additionally, McGuigan asked the Minister to go beyond initial scoping and leave the next administration with sufficiently developed proposals, including potential measures covering online gambling, an independent regulator and an industry levy.
Lyons confirmed that officials are doing more than simply scoping the issue. The department is also weighing in on the sustainability of a gambling industry levy. Lyons said he was keen to see that work progress, while emphasising that any future approach would need to be evidence-based, effective and sustainable.
The Minister is also looking to engage with the UK Government about Northern Ireland’s stance in relation to the Great Britain gambling levy on remote operators.
The issue reflects the broader challenge facing Northern Ireland as gambling increasingly shifts online, which can potentially create regulatory and public-health problems that extend beyond the traditional retail gambling sector.
Public Health Expected to Shape Future Reform
Public health is also among the key aspects in the future reform debate. During the Assembly discussion, MLA Daniel Donnelly asked whether the department’s work would adopt a public-health approach, including stronger protections for children and young people and sustainable funding for gambling harm prevention, treatment and support.
Lyons backed that approach and said gambling should not be viewed solely as a regulatory issue. He labelled it as a health issue, and said that he would work with the Health Minister on measures to address gambling harm. He pointed to the impact on people’s lives, young people’s education and the physical and mental health of the population.
The comments suggest that the direction Northern Ireland’s gambling policy may take after the next Assembly election.
In the past, Northern Ireland’s gambling support infrastructure has been criticised for lacking the specialist treatment capacity available elsewhere in the UK. England and Wales already offer specialist services for gambling-related harm, while Northern Ireland does not currently have an equivalent network of dedicated clinics.
A 2025 survey of Northern Irish gamblers also raised concerns about access to support. Among 1,124 respondents, only 1% said they had contacted mental health services during the previous 12 months. The findings suggested that stigma and limited awareness could remain barriers to seeking help.
The wider scale of the issue is also reflected in estimates that around 3% of Northern Ireland’s adult population may be at risk of gambling harm.
2027 Review Could Shape Next Reform Bill
As a result, the planned review of the 2022 Act is on track to become an important starting point for the next phase of Northern Ireland’s gambling policy.
Lyons said the review will assess whether the 2022 changes have achieved their intended objectives, with its findings expected to inform future reform. However, significant legislative changes are unlikely to be delivered before the current mandate ends.
Instead, the department is expected to continue gathering evidence, comparing regulatory models and examining possible funding mechanisms for gambling-related harm. The review in 2027 could then provide the evidence base for a more comprehensive reform programme under the next administration.
With online gambling continuing to evolve rapidly, the review may ultimately determine whether Northern Ireland’s regulatory framework can keep up with changes in the sector while providing stronger protections for consumers and vulnerable groups.
