Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994 Horseracing (On-Course Betting Office) Regulations, 1995.
Statutory Instruments
Source: Statutory Instruments

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paragraphs: Citation and Commencement.
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paragraphs: Interpretation.
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paragraphs: Permitting of authorised bookmakers to operate from betting offices.
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paragraphs: Range of betting services,
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paragraphs: Structure and location of betting offices.
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paragraphs: Operation and opening hours of betting offices.
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paragraphs: Prohibition on certain persons placing bets.
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paragraphs: Good order and conduct.
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paragraphs: Amendments to Regulations.
IRISH HORSERACING INDUSTRY ACT, 1994
HORSERACING (ON-COURSE BETTING OFFICE) REGULATIONS, 1995.
The Irish Horseracing Authority, in exercise of the powers conferred upon it by sub-sections 1 (d) and (1) (e) of section 53 of the Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994 , hereby makes the following Regulations:
1 Citation and Commencement.
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paragraphs: (a) These Regulations may be cited as the Horseracing (On-course Betting Office) Regulations, 1995.
(b) These Regulations shall come into effect on the 28th day of October, 1995.
2 Interpretation.
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paragraphs: In these Regulations, save where the context otherwise requires—
"the Act" means the Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994 ;
"authorised bookmaker" means a licensed bookmaker who is the holder of a course-betting permit;
"authorised racecourse" mans a racecourse including the precincts thereof authorised by the Authority under section 59 of the Act;
"the Authority" means the Irish Horseracing Authority established by the Act;
"betting office" means any premises at an authorised racecourse in which betting is permitted by these Regulations;
"course-betting permit" means a permit granted by the Authority under Section 48 (1) of the Act;
"course-betting representative permit" means a permit granted by the Authority under section 48 (2) of the Act;
"executive", in relation to a racecourse, means the person who owns or exercises control over that racecourse;
"licensed bookmaker" means a person who is the holder of a bookmakers licence for the time being in force issued under the Betting Act, 1931 ;
"operator" means an authorised bookmaker who is carrying out the business of bookmaking from a betting office;
"the Minister" means the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry;
"precincts", in relation to an authorised racecourse, means any place (including a car-park) adjacent to the racecourse under the control of the executive of a racecourse to which the public habitually resort for the purpose of attending and watching horseracing;
"race-fixture" means the venue and the day of a race-meeting and where a race-meeting lasts more than one day each day of the meeting shall be a separate race-fixture;
"tote odds" means the return to a unit stake on a winning bet calculated by reference to the dividend payable by Tote Ireland Limited in any pool operated by that company.
3 Permitting of authorised bookmakers to operate from betting offices.
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paragraphs: A person shall not carry on the business of a bookmaker from a betting office at an authorised racecourse unless
(a) such a person is an authorised bookmaker or an employee or agent of an authorised bookmaker acting on behalf of such bookmaker who is a person specified in a course betting representative permit, and
(b) the premises from which the business is operated is approved by the Authority in accordance with these Regulations, and
(c) the executive of the racecourse where the betting office is located has confirmed in writing to the Authority that the bookmaker has received the consent of the executive to operate from the specified premises.
4 Range of betting services
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paragraphs: (a) A person carrying on the business of a bookmaker from a betting office at an authorised racecourse shall not accept bets of the following types:—
(i) Bets on horse racing in Ireland settled on any basis other than on the outcome of the event as determined by the official result under the Rules of Racing, as defined in the Act,
(ii) Bets on Lotto numbers,
(iii) Bets settled at Tote odds except with the express permission of Tote Ireland Limited.
(iv) Bets into totalisator pools operated by Tote Ireland Limited except with the express permission of Tote Ireland Limited.
(b) A person carrying on the business of a bookmaker from a betting office at an authorised racecourse shall not provide, by way of special promotions or otherwise, free or discounted bets.
(c) A person carrying on the business of a bookmaker from a betting office at an authorised racecourse shall not agree to restrict the range of bets which he has on offer without the prior written approval of the Authority.
5 Structure and location of betting offices.
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paragraphs: (a) The Executive of a racecourse may apply to the Authority for an approval in respect of premises which are intended to be used as a betting office at such authorised racecourse.
(b) Plans relating to the size, location, structure and signage of the premises must be submitted to the Authority, together with such application.
(c) Without prejudice to the generality of the Authority's consideration as to the suitability of the structure and location of any proposed betting office, the Authority shall, insofar as same may be practicable, seek to ensure that such betting office be located in a position to give ready access to all on-course totalisator and betting ring patrons.
(d) The Authority shall confirm in writing the grant of its approval of a specific betting office by reference to the plans submitted in accordance with these Regulations.
(e) A racecourse executive or an authorised bookmaker shall not alter the size, location, structure or signage of such premises without having first submitted to the Authority an application for an amendment approval submitting revised plans therewith.
6 Operation and opening hours of betting offices.
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paragraphs: (a) An authorised bookmaker operating from an on-course betting office shall cause copies of the betting rules relating to the transaction of business therein to be displayed prominently within the premises. The rules of the operator must allow for payment to clients on winning bets to be made by cash or cheque on the same day as the event on which the bet is placed takes place.
(b) An authorised bookmaker operating from an on-course betting office must keep such premises in a state of repair and cleanliness satisfactory to the racecourse executive and the Authority.
(c) An authorised bookmaker operating from an on-course betting office shall only accept bets placed in person and shall not accept bets placed by telephone.
(d) An authorised bookmaker operating from an on-course betting office shall not open for business for any time before the racegoing public are permitted admission by the executive of an authorised racecourse to a race fixture.
(e) An authorised bookmaker operating from an on-course betting office shall not remain open for business later than one hour after the conclusion of the last race of the fixture.
7 Prohibition on persons under eighteen years placing bets.
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paragraphs: (a) Persons under eighteen years of age shall not be permitted to place bets in a betting office.
(b) An authorised bookmaker operating from a betting office shall not accept any bets from persons under eighteen years of age.
8 Good order and conduct.
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paragraphs: (a) An authorised bookmaker operating from a betting office shall be responsible for good order and conduct with the premises.
(b) An authorised bookmaker operating from a betting office shall be prohibited from selling, authorising or permitting the sale of alcoholic drink within the premises.
9 Amendments to Regulations.
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paragraphs: These Regulations may be amended from time to time by the Authority.
GIVEN under the Seal of the Authority, this 11th day of October, 1995.
DENIS BROSNAN,
Chairman of the Authority.
PATRICK WALSH,
Secretary of the Authority.