Irish Gambling Regulations

The online gambling legal landscape is constantly changing, and it can be a bit confusing to keep yourself up to date with the series of laws. In this guide, you will learn more about the gambling regulations in Ireland, how they protect consumers, ensure fair play, and maintain industry credibility. So, if you want to be kept abreast of the latest updates regarding online betting sites and casinos, this is your chance to find out more.

Overview of Gambling Laws in Ireland

Gambling and sports betting are a major part of Irish history, with the first written records produced during Conaire Mor’s rule, between 110 BC and 60 AD. Although betting was becoming increasingly popular, it was only regulated six years after Ireland’s independence, in 1931 with the Betting Act, later updated in 2015, enabling offshore operators to be covered by domestic policy.

Casino gambling, especially online, on the other hand, is not as regulated. It was only legalised in 2013, with the Gambling Control Bill. In the following sections, you will find out more about the legislative bodies and laws that govern gambling in Ireland.

The Legal Framework of Gambling in Ireland

Gambling in Ireland is governed by a series of laws and acts, depending on the product. You will find a brief overview below:

• The Betting Acts 1931 to 2015: The Betting Acts govern the activities of bookmakers, remote bookmakers, and remote betting intermediaries. These Acts ensure that these activities are not carried out without a licence.
• National Lottery Act 2013: This act regulates the National Lottery and its licence. It is licensed by a sole operator, in this case, Premier Lotteries Ireland DAC.
• Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956: This act governs other lotteries. To operate, they need a lottery licence or a lottery permit.
• The Gambling Regulation Bill: This bill provides a reform measure for all sorts of gambling in Ireland, establishing a comprehensive regulatory and licensing framework for them.
• Gambling Regulation Act 2024: This act will replace the other acts, except the National Lottery Act 2013 and regulate all forms of betting and gaming, as defined by the Irish law.

What is Considered Gambling in Ireland?

The National Drug and Alcohol Survey defines gambling as “buying a lottery ticket or scratch ticket, playing lottery games online, gambling in a bookmaker’s shop […], gambling online or by telephone, placing a bet at a horse or dog race meeting, playing games at a casino, playing a gaming/slot machine, playing card games for money with friends/family, and playing bingo.”

The following activities are considered gambling in Ireland:

• Betting: Currently, the word bet is not defined by Irish law. However, according to the Betting Act, “the word bet includes wager”. Betting covers a bookmaker setting odds for a future event, accepting bets for the event, and eventually paying out winnings.
• Gaming: According to the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1965 to 2019, gaming is defined as “playing a game (whether of skill or chance or partly of skill and partly of chance) for stakes hazarded by the players”.
• Lotteries: The Gaming and Lotteries Acts define lottery as “… all competitions for money of money’s worth which involve guesses or estimates of future events or past events the results of which are not yet ascertained or not yet generally known.”
• Tote/pari-mutuel betting: This form of betting is regulated by Horse Racing Ireland through the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001.
• Financial spread betting: The Markets in Financial Instruments governs spread betting on financial instruments. It is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Online Gambling Regulations in Ireland

In Ireland, the licensing and regulation of online gambling are based on a series of laws and legislations. A new body called the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) was established under the Gambling Regulation Act of 2024 and will henceforth licence and regulate online gambling services in the territory.

In the following sections, I will provide you with more details about the role of the GRAI and the future of legal online gambling in Ireland.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Ireland?

Contrary to what most people think, online gambling is not illegal in Ireland. In 2003, all forms of internet gambling were legalised. In 2004, the first online gambling site was launched in Ireland. Moving forward, licences were issued for operators to legally provide their services in the territory. In addition, players were not bound by any law that forbade them from accessing offshore online gambling platforms.

One thing that this entire process lacked was a legal framework. So, in 2012, the Irish Betting Amendment Bill was proposed as a means to bridge the gap from the 1931 Betting Act. In 2024, the Gambling Regulation Bill was signed into law, almost two years after it was first published. The key measures include:

• Establishing the GRAI, a body responsible for regulating all forms of gambling (including online gambling) in the country.
• Introduce a new licensing regime with three categories of licences.
• Reduce gambling-related advertising hours.

Licensing of Online Casinos in Ireland

Until last October, Ireland had no equivalent of the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. Under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland was established. This new statutory body is subsequently responsible for regulating and licensing gambling services in Ireland.

With the establishment of the GRAI, online bookmakers and casinos in Ireland will need licences to continue providing their services in Ireland.

The functions of the GRAI will include the following:

• Regulating and licensing all forms of gambling in Ireland
• Restricting minor’s access to gambling
• Providing support to people with problem gambling
• Restricting advertising and sponsorship for gambling
• Establishing a Social Impact Fund and a National Gambling Exclusion Register

The GRAI will introduce three types of gambling licences:

• Business to Consumer Gaming, Betting, and Lottery (except National Lottery) Licences
• Business to Business Licences
• Gambling licences for Charitable/Philanthropic Causes

What are the Key Regulations for Irish Online Casinos?

Operators who want to legally provide online gambling services to Irish players must comply with certain rules, ensuring a balance between player entertainment and responsible gambling policies. Here is a brief overview of these regulations:

• Player data protection: All online casinos operating in Ireland must implement measures to protect consumers, as this is a priority in Ireland’s regulatory framework. Some of these measures are to protect players’ personal information and to securely handle financial transactions.
• Fair gaming practices: Irish online casinos are required to provide detailed information about their businesses. This information includes financial statements and software fairness certifications. This is to ensure that players have access to the highest standards of security and fairness.
• Responsible gambling measures: Operators providing online gambling services must ensure that players have access to responsible gambling measures and tools. These include deposit, loss, and wager limits, time-off requests, and access to self-exclusion.
• Adherence to anti-money laundering (AML) laws: Under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, online casinos must adhere to Regulation for Anti-Money Laundering in Ireland . This includes reporting suspicious transactions, enforcing measures for customer due diligence, and keeping a register of account holders.

Player Protections and Consumer Rights

The newly established Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland provides for enhanced player protection measures, prioritising consumer rights and maintaining an appropriate balance between entertainment and responsible gambling. In the following sections, I will provide more details.

Player Protection Measures in Irish Gambling

The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 prioritises player protection measures, and here are some of the major takeaways:

• Self-exclusion programs: one of the major additions to player protection measures is a centralised self-exclusion program. This allows players to block themselves from accessing several gambling platforms at the same time.
• Gambling addiction support: operators must now introduce sophisticated mechanisms that track problem gambling patterns to identify signs of gambling addiction early on. Once the mechanisms pick up on these problematic patterns, operators must send out automated warnings and provide players with access to professional support.
• Secure payment methods: the Gambling Act has prescribed acceptable and non-acceptable payment methods. Operators are not allowed to accept payments from credit cards or extend credit to a player. In addition, they are forbidden from accepting payments by electronic or digital means that accept money loaded from a credit card.

Responsible Gambling in Ireland

One of the major functions of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland is to make responsible gambling more robust. Licences will be required to give players access to more accentuated problem gambling tools.

In addition, organizations like GamblingCare.ie frequently run Gambling Awareness Campaigns to generate conversations around problem gambling and reduce the stigma. This will in turn encourage players who have patterns of addiction to seek help and professional support.

What to Do if You Have a Gambling Problem in Ireland

Unfortunately, gambling addictions are a regular occurrence in Ireland. According to a 2023 study, 1 in 30 adults in Ireland suffer from problem gambling. If you are one of these players and your life is affected by a gambling addiction, several resources can help you. Below, you will find out more.

• GamblingCare.ie: GamblingCare.ie was established in 2019. Its major aim is to provide players with a better understanding of responsible gambling and help players who eventually develop addictions or problems so that they can get the support and help they need. GamblingCare is available across the country, providing a range of services such as residential programmes, in-person counselling, online counselling, and support groups.
• GambleAware: At GambleAware , you get access to free advice, tools, and support that keeps you safe from problem gambling.
• Extern Problem Gambling: Extern Problem Gambling provides access to a helpline and a free counselling service to reduce stigma and help players who suffer from problem gambling. They have a specialised gambling service for women called EmpowerHer Recovery Network.

Recent Changes to Gambling Laws in Ireland

The legal landscape of gambling in Ireland has undergone major changes, with the Gambling Regulation Bill finally completing its 20-month passage through the Irish parliamentary process. The following sections will focus on these changes and how they will affect operators and players as a whole.

The Gambling Regulation Bill 2022

The Gambling Regulation Bill finally completed its 20-month-long passage through the Oireachtas and has now become the Gambling Regulation Act of 2024. The introduction of this bill came along with several changes, including:

• The establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, the new body in charge of regulating and licensing all forms of gambling in the territory.
• All gambling operators will have the obligation to obtain licences and follow operational standards.
• A statutory levy will be imposed on operators, in a bid to raise €100 million to fight against problem gambling.
• Gambling-related social media advertising will be banned, and TV and radio advertising will be broadcast only from 5:30 am to 9:00 pm.
• A nationwide self-exclusion network will be introduced, enabling players to block themselves from all sites at once.
• Mandatory age verification systems will be introduced, and cooling-off periods will be enforced.
• Gambling behaviours will be tracked to identify patterns and tackle gambling problems early enough.

Impact on Online Casino Operators

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland will fully start operating sometime in 2025. Its operations will impact operators in numerous ways, including the following:

• Online casino operators will have to obtain specific licences and adhere to standard rules to provide gambling services to Irish players. Obtaining these licences will be done under strict conditions: they will be required to submit financial records and detailed business plans.
• Operators will be unable to advertise on social media. In addition, all advertising will be done between 5:30 am and 9:00 pm. Ads targeted towards minors will now be restricted.
• Penalties for unlicensed operators will be increased. They will face heavy fines, and in some cases, imprisonment.
• Operators will have to give players access to stricter responsible gambling tools. In addition, they will be obligated to track players’ gambling to identify problem gambling patterns early.

How to Choose a Legal and Safe Online Casino in Ireland

Now that you are more aware of the legal implications of gambling in Ireland, where can you play your favourite games? I have compiled a few factors that should guide you as you begin the arduous task of choosing a safe and legal casino.

Checking for Licensing and Regulation

The first thing you should be on the lookout for is licensing information. While the Gambling Authority of Ireland has not started operations yet, you can still gamble at offshore online casinos. Most times, you will find their licensing information at the footer of the page. If not, head over to the Terms and Conditions section to find out more about which regulatory authority licenses them. Some regulatory authorities include:

• The United Kingdom Gambling Commission
• The Malta Gaming Authority
• The Curacao eGaming Control Board
• The Kahnawake Gaming Commission

Importance of Fair Play and RNG Audits

Another certification that you should take into account is one from an accredited testing lab. Some of them include iTechLabs, eCOGRA, and QUINEL. A stamp of approval from one of these third-party testers is an indication that the games use random number generators (RNGs). They are responsible for generating unpredictable results and ensuring the games are fair to players.

Payment Methods and Security

Payment methods are important factors when choosing a casino. So, before you sign up at any casino, you need to make sure that it offers secure and safe payment methods. Some of them include MasterCard, Neteller, and Bitcoin.

Frequently Asked Questions