Fintan Gavin, the organiser of numerous poker tournaments including the Irish Poker Championship and the Monster Poker Festival, is desperately seeking clarity from the Government on how they plan to implement their new Gambling Regulation Bill. Due to the lack of response, Gavin has grave concerns for the future of his business if limits on stakes and winnings are applied to his poker tournaments.
Gavin has made attempts to contact Anne Marie Caulfied, the forthcoming chief executive of the State’s Gambling Regulatory Authority, but has yet to receive a response. Despite his current uncertainty, Gavin is in favour of regulation, believing it could be beneficial for the industry by attracting more sponsors.
The tournaments Gavin organises require an entry fee, or a “buy in”, which can vary from €100 – €3,000, and the winnings are partially funded from these fees. The participants use poker chips with a nominal value, but they do not directly wager their own money. Gavin describes this as a “test of players’ skills.”
He is now seeking an explanation from the Government or regulator about whether and how these tournaments will be regulated under the proposed law. Currently, his business is governed by the Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1956, which Gavin says is out of date.
The proposed bill restricts gaming machine bets and winnings for table games like Blackjack, Roulette, and lotteries to €10 and €3,000 respectively.
As Mr Gavin elucidates, his poker tournament enterprise wouldn’t function effectively on the scale it currently operates under the proposed restrictions. The Department of Justice stands by the assertion that these caps are merely a continuation of parameters put in place by the 1956 Act. Furthermore, they clarify that these restrictions can be modified by the Gambling Regulatory Authority, given the green light by the Minister for Justice. They anticipate that the Bill will reach its final discussion and report stages at the Dáil on Wednesday, October 16th.
Mr Gavin’s organisation, boasting 20 years of hosting poker tournaments in Ireland, testifies to the high demand for these events. In a recent tournament his company hosted in Killarney, Co Kerry, participant numbers necessitated the booking of 275 rooms at the Gleneagle Hotel. Looking ahead, Mr Gavin predicts a significant turnout at an upcoming event at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin later this month.
Mr Gavin’s successful enterprise has garnered attention across international borders, enabling him to host tournaments in the UK and Portugal. Despite the success, Mr Gavin questions the future of hosting tournaments in his homeland due to the impending legislation.