jurisdiction
| Is online gambling permitted? | Yes (subject to limitations) | |
|---|---|---|
| Licence available for… | Betting | Yes |
| Sports | Yes (for sports betting) | |
| Card Games | Not currently (but will be permitted under a ‘business to consumer gambling licence’ once new licensing regime is in operation) | |
| Casino | Not currently (but will be permitted under a ‘business to consumer gambling licence’ once new licensing regime is in operation) | |
| Lottery | Not currently (except for charitable lotteries and the National Lottery, which is separately regulated, but will be permitted under ‘business to consumer gambling licence’ once new licensing regime is in operation). | |
| Footnotes and Notes | The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 The regulation of online gambling in Ireland is in the midst of a period of change. The Gambling Regulation Act was enacted into law on 23 October 2024 and will – when commenced – introduce a comprehensive new licensing regulatory regime which will apply to all forms of gambling (i.e. betting, lotteries and gaming (with the exception of the National Lottery, which is separately regulated)), including both by remote means and in person. In general terms, all B2C and B2B providers offering gambling services to Irish customers will be required to hold a licence. There will also be a separate form of charitable gambling licence. At the time of writing, the Act has not been substantially commenced. The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) was formally established under the Act in March 2025 and is preparing to operationalise. It is likely that the substantive provisions of the Act will be commenced incrementally over time, with the likely initial focus on B2C licensing. Once the Act is fully in effect, the GRAI will have a broad range of functions in relation to licensing, supervision and public awareness initiatives, as well as robust enforcement powers underpinning these (including the ability to impose significant fines for regulatory breaches, albeit subject to court approval). Under the new regime, all gambling operators targeting Irish customers or with infrastructure in Ireland will likely require a licence (either B2C or B2B) from the GRAI. Transition to new regime The GRAI has indicated that getting the new licensing regime up and running first is its priority, although this is likely to be done on a phased based, with B2C licensing being the initial focus. The specific details of how this will be phased have not been confirmed, but in the meantime, current online betting (remote bookmaker’s) licences will expire on 30 June 2025 and should be renewed under the 1931 Act regime, with one key difference – the Act provides that licences issued on 1 July 2025 will now only be valid for a period of 12 months rather than 24 months as part of the transition to the new regulatory framework under the Act. | |
Last updated: April 2023
