Ireland gambling law updates

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland has made regulations setting out the records and accounts licensees must keep and maintain. The notice gives no commencement date, and the regulations' own text was not yet on the Irish Statute Book on 13 Oct 2026.

In force since 16 Oct 2026Iris OifigiúilOfficial text

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland has notified a draft regulation requiring remote licensees to send account-holders pop-up alerts every 60 minutes while logged in, plus 7-day and 30-day alerts, showing winnings, losses and time spent. It is not law yet and no commencement date is set; the standstill runs until 11 Jan 2027.

Proposal, not law yetEU TRISOfficial text

An appeal to the Appeals Panel costs €1,000 against a GRAI decision on pool-betting events (s. 114(5), s. 117(5)) or on adding a premises (s. 116), and €1,500 against a finding in a notice of non-compliance or an advice, caution, warning or reprimand (s. 193); the fee is refunded if the appeal succeeds. It applies to remote licensees as well. Made by the GRAI with the Minister for Justice's consent on 17 September 2026; the text gives no commencement date.

Adoptedirishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

A betting licensee, remote and remote intermediary licences included, pays €1,250 to change the events it is licensed to offer pool betting on, or 25% of the fee paid on its original licence application (excluding per-premises fees) to add pool betting it did not apply for.

Adoptedirishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

Land-based only. A holder of an in-person gambling licence pays €1,200 for each premises it applies to add to its licence under s. 116 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. Online licences are not affected.

In force since 22 Sep 2026irishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

Licences for remote operators took effect on 1 July 2026, the first licences the GRAI issued under the 2024 Act.

In force since 1 Jul 2026grai.ieOfficial text

Sections 51, 54 and 55 (the Social Impact Fund) came into force on 30 June 2026 (S.I. No. 304 of 2026); the contribution rate is still to be set.

In force since 30 Jun 2026irishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

Applications for in-person betting, remote betting and remote betting intermediary licences opened on 9 February 2026 and remain open.

In force since 9 Feb 2026grai.ieOfficial text

S.I. No. 31 of 2026 brought most licensing provisions (not gaming, lottery, charitable or B2B licences), complaints, enforcement, appeals and the repeal of the Betting Act 1931 into force on 5 February 2026. The ban on accepting credit-card payments applies from the same day, and the GRAI can impose fines of up to €20 million or 10% of turnover.

In force since 5 Feb 2026irishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

Amendments made by the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2025 took effect on 30 January 2026 (S.I. No. 21 of 2026). Among them, a B2C licence whose renewal is still undecided when it expires stays in force until the renewal is decided (s.115(5)).

In force since 30 Jan 2026irishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

S.I. No. 58 of 2025 fixed 5 March 2025 as the establishment day of the GRAI, Ireland's gambling regulator.

In force since 5 Mar 2025irishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

The Act that created the GRAI and its licensing system was enacted on 23 October 2024 and comes into force in stages, by commencement order.

In force since 23 Oct 2024irishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

Section 157 will bar offering an inducement to a person or a specific group of persons; the GRAI's guidance gives free bets for selected loyal customers and volume-based loyalty rewards as examples. Section 159 will bar sponsorship aimed at children. Neither is commenced, and no inducement regulations under s.157(4) have been made.

Adoptedirishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

Sections 143-151 are not yet commenced. Once they are, a licensee may not arrange advertising with a broadcaster or on-demand service between 5:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. (s.149), and may advertise on social media only to people who have subscribed to its account (s.146). Until then the broadcasters' code applies, with the ASA Code as self-regulation.

Adoptedirishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

Sections 44-49, which set up the register, are not yet commenced and no date is set. Once they are, a remote licensee must be able to view the register in real time, and one that cannot must not provide remote gambling to a registered person.

Adoptedirishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

Every licensee will pay an annual Social Impact Fund contribution, a percentage of turnover (s.54, in force since 30 June 2026), and the GRAI's operational charge (s.41). Neither amount has been set: the Minister's rate regulations and the charge have not been made.

In forceirishstatutebook.ieOfficial text

Sections 87 and 88 (lottery and charitable licences) are not yet in force, and the GRAI's compliance FAQ gives 2028 for both. Until then lottery licences come from the District Courts and lottery permits from An Garda Síochána.

Adoptedgrai-cms-production-bucket.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.comOfficial text

Once s.70 commences, selling or supplying gambling products or services needs a B2B licence, and products need certification (ss.123-124). Neither is in force and no B2B licence is required today; the GRAI's compliance FAQ gives 2028 for B2B applications, and a supplier already in the market must apply within 6 months of s.125 commencing to keep supplying.

Adoptedgrai-cms-production-bucket.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.comOfficial text

Section 86 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 (gaming licences) is not yet in force, so online casino and poker cannot yet be licensed by the GRAI. Its compliance FAQ gives 2027 for gaming licence applications.

Adoptedgrai-cms-production-bucket.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.comOfficial text