26 March 2025
By Cameron Murphy
news@TheCork.ie
Entertainment
Ireland’s gambling laws and regulations have undergone a significant transformation in recent years after decades of stagnation. As the gambling industry moved with the times and technology saw the explosion of online casinos, the country’s lawmakers struggled to keep up with this new world of opportunities for players and operators alike.
That has now changed, with regulation being brought in as recently as 2024 that put players at the heart of the industry. But what have Irish gambling regulations looked like and have they finally evolved to the point that they’re fit for purpose in the modern world?
Early Legislative Efforts
The first attempt to regulate gambling in Ireland came with the Betting Act of 1931. This act focused on on-site betting at horse and greyhound racing, sports ingrained in Irish culture. This was the first time bookmakers in the country had to be licensed, ensuring only authorised operators could provide betting services.
It wasn’t until 25 years later in 1956 that the Gaming and Lotteries Act was passed, which provided legislation for lotteries and small-scale gaming. This act restricted large-scale gambling operations but still permitted some smaller, local lotteries.
Neither of these acts foresaw the changes in society and technology that would fundamentally change the gambling industry. These laws just simply couldn’t account for the modern realities of the gambling industry. Online betting, international operators, and consumer habits that have changed vastly over the years just weren’t included in legislation, and that had to change. People needed to be protected from rogue operators so they didn’t lose money on bets where there was never any intention for winnings to be paid out in an increasingly online world.
The National Lottery
There was a huge change in Ireland’s gambling landscape when the National Lottery was launched in 1986. Gambling was now brought to the mainstream, and casual players began enjoying the routine of putting their numbers on every week. The Lottery was designed as a means to raise important funds for public services. The chance to win life-changing prizes was a hit with players, and the Lottery now raises hundreds of millions of euros a year for good causes.
The National Lottery Act was passed in 2013 as a way to modernise its management structure and ensure that any revenue collected continued to support public services and good causes across the country.
Modernising Gambling Laws
The Betting (Amendment) Act 2015, which made amendments to the original 1931 act, brought in legislation that focused on bookmakers and ensuring they were properly licensed to operate.
The 2015 act spelt out that any person operating without the appropriate licence required as a bookmaker, either in person or remotely, would be guilty of an offence. This was the first time online operators had been targeted by law in the country.
In 2019, the Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act, which proposed changes to the 1956 act, made it into law. Although these two amendment acts began to tackle the issues faced thanks to the rise of online operators, a whole new act was introduced just five years later with the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. This was the act that brought into existence a new gambling regulator in Ireland—the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI). This independent body would now take responsibility for overseeing licensing, compliance, and consumer protections in the gambling world, both online and off.
The Role of the GRAI
The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 consolidated and updated previous gambling legislation in the country and seeks to address modern challenges faced in the industry.
The introduction of the GRAI was the most sweeping change brought about by the 2024 act. Its remit is to focus on wellbeing and public safety when it comes to gambling. This independent regulator will cover betting both in person and online, with powers to regulate gambling, Those who wish to offer sports betting in Ireland, whether they are domestic or international operators, must now be licensed by GRAI as a legal requirement.
There are now severe restrictions on advertising of gambling services with no adverts related to the industry allowed either on TV or radio from 5.30am to 9.00pm.
The act provides greater consumer protection as deposit limits were introduced alongside mandatory affordability checks. Gambling operators must assess their players’ financial status before they make a bet. Self-exclusion tools have been enhanced, which means gamblers can take matters into their own hands and choose to ban themselves from betting platforms for set periods.
Betting operators will also have to now contribute to a Social Impact Fund. This fund will support initiatives to try and reduce problem gambling in the population and offer treatment services, as well as educational campaigns to keep people informed and aware of the risks associated with gambling.
Impact on Online Gambling
The rise of online gambling is what drove Ireland’s legislators to act and improve legislation. The prior 1931 and 1956 acts could not envisage what the gambling industry would look like in the 21st century. There are now thousands of operators available online in the country offering sports betting, casino games, slots, bingo, and many more games of chance that fall under the 2024 Act.
As so many players now enjoy their gambling as a form of at home entertainment, rather than having to head out to the casino or bookmakers, it was vital that any legislation offered greater player protection. The GRAI’s remit is to protect vulnerable gamblers from falling into addiction or debt, and the tools at their disposal spelt out above are designed to do exactly that.
A new National Gambling Exclusion Register has also been introduced to help players who feel their gambling might be getting out of hand. This is separate from any self-exclusion options operated by gambling providers and is overseen by GRAI. It allows players to register and, in doing so, means they can exclude themselves from being contacted by any gambling providers or being able to place a bet online.
Legally, if a player is signed up to the register, a licensed gambling operator cannot allow them to register to gamble, accept a payment from them for gambling or communicate with them in a manner that promotes gambling or encourages them to gamble. Taking yourself out of the game entirely is the most sensible way to stop your gambling from becoming a problem.
What Does the Future Hold?
The Gambling Regulation Act of 2024 marked a huge shift in Ireland’s approach to gambling laws. But this is still a new act, and it will take time for the full effects of it to really take hold. For now, gambling operators, players, and all stakeholders are adapting to the new rules. But as they do, they will find that player protection forms the bulk of what the new legislation sets out to do. With one study estimating that 1 in 30 adults suffer from problem gambling in Ireland, there is no time to waste to keep players safe.
Just as politicians could not have foreseen what the gambling industry would be in 2025, those in the Dáil Éireann today will struggle to predict what it will look like in the following decades. Politicians can’t shy away from tough decisions, however, as seen across the sea in the UK. Legislation is currently going through the Westminster Parliament that will limit how much players can spend on a single play on a slot machine. When the law comes into force, gamblers over the age of 25 will be limited to a maximum stake of £5 on a single play cycle, whereas those between 18 and 24 will be limited to a maximum stake of £2. This is an approach Ireland’s politicians should consider as slot machines are associated with problem gambling and, by limiting what players can spend on one spin, could help mitigate their losses from becoming excessive.
Wrap Up
In conclusion, Ireland’s gambling regulations have seen massive changes over the years. Relying on decades-old laws when online gambling was already big business left the regulators playing catch up.
The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 has gone a long way in rectifying this, and the creation of the GRAI should provide cohesion for future laws as the gambling industry inevitably evolves in the future. As long as there is a focus on protecting players and promoting responsible gambling, they will be on the right track to a safer industry for Irish players.
About the Author
An online casino expert of 12 years, Cameron Murphy knows the ins and outs of Irish online casinos. Cameron specialises in online casino reviews, gambling regulations, and providing quality content on online casino games.
Additional content by Roger Kennedy, roger@TheCork.ie