5 November 2021
By Roger L. Jones
roger@TheCork.ie
Entertainment
In Ireland, various forms of gambling including online gambling and lotteries are governed by the main piece of legislation, the Gaming and Lotteries Act.
According to the Gaming and Lotteries act, gambling is not prohibited unless offered by companies and businesses that have previously obtained all the necessary permits or licenses. To understand the Irish gambling laws and regulations, we have to go back in time.
Different forms of gambling have been fully regulated in the country for centuries. More specifically, Irish people used to bet on various chariot races in ancient times. Following the trends in the United Kingdom, horse racing was a huge part of the country’s history and the same is true for classic card games. The most popular card games played in Ireland were brought from Italy and France in the eighteenth century.
Back in 1922, Ireland became an independent country, and this was when the very first gambling law was passed. Four years later, the Betting Act was also adopted in order to prevent illegal gambling houses. The Betting Act is the one that inspired more modern gambling laws and regulations including the Gaming and Lotteries Act.
Online Casinos in Ireland
Ireland is home to many land-based casinos. As of 2021, there are over twenty-five traditional casinos and this is a big number for such a small country. All land-based casinos must operate according to the Gambling Control Bill that has been in force since 2013. Various online casinos also operate in the country.
Just like land-based casinos, online casinos must operate according to strict regulations and laws. The best Roulette Casinos for Ireland let you play your favorite game of Roulette in many different formats.
As mentioned in the previous section, online casinos operating in the country require a valid remote gaming license in order to accept bets from Irish players, according to the Gaming and Lotteries Act.
Online casinos that operate legally in the country do not only offer a whole bunch of popular online Roulette games but also video slots, poker, live casino games, and of course, Blackjack, Baccarat, and other classic table games. Further, we take a look at the most popular online Roulette games you can play at Irish online casinos and these include:
- European Roulette
- American Roulette
- French Roulette
- Roulette Royale
- Multi Wheel Roulette
- Double Ball Roulette
- Live Dealer Roulette
The Most Popular Online Roulette Games Among Irish Players
Back in 2019, the Irish Department of Health published a report on the gambling industry in the country. According to this report, two-thirds of the entire population engaged in some kind of gambling activity in the last twelve months.
- In 2019, Irish players gambled over €10 billion and this trend continued in 2020 and 2021. While instant-win games and slots are the most popular forms of online gambling activities, online Roulette leads the way when it comes to classic table games.
Irish players are big fans of European Roulette that all major online casinos operating in the country offer. European Roulette involves a Roulette wheel with thirty-seven pockets and one of these is zero. It is important to note that the is the exact kind of Roulette you will encounter if you play in casinos while traveling in countries like Spain or Italy.
When compared to other online Roulette variants, European Roulette is more rewarding since it boasts a casino edge of around 2.70%. Irish online casinos offer various European Roulette tables with different maximum and minimum limits to suit all players and their budgets.
American Roulette games are also popular among Irish players. American Roulette involves a Roulette Wheel packed with thirty-eight pockets and two zeros, unlike European Roulette that includes only one zero.
Due to the double-zero pocket, American Roulette has a higher casino edge that stands around 5.26%. When it comes to the game’s rules, they are very similar to the rules of European Roulette. However, in American Roulette, players can place Five Number bets that pay 6 to 1 but come with a high casino edge of around 7.90%.
French Roulette is another popular form of online Roulette Irish players enjoy. Like European Roulette games, French Roulette uses a single-zero Roulette wheel. What makes French Roulette different from European Roulette is the La Partage rule.
According to this rule, even-money bets are divided by two with fifty percent of these bets going to the house and the other fifty percent going to the player. The La Partage rule in French Roulette games lowers their casino edge to around 1.35%.
Running on the Microgaming software, Roulette Royale is one of the most exciting classic casino games. It is played like standard European Roulette games, but it is attached with a staggering progressive jackpot. Side bets that players make go towards the game’s progressive jackpot pot.
When discussing the most popular online Roulette games among Irish players, we have to mention Multi Wheel and Double Ball Roulette games.
Multi Wheel Roulette games follow the basic Roulette rules but are played with multiple Roulette Wheel. Double Ball Roulette games are available in single-zero and double-zero formats. The most basic Roulette rules apply, but instead of one, two balls are used simultaneously.
Finally, Irish online casinos offer a whole range of exciting live Roulette games including Immersive Roulette, Speed Roulette, Prestige Roulette, Lightning Roulette, VIP Roulette, and many others.
220809 L(dply)