Is online gambling legal in Ireland? The GRAI licensing tracker

The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 was enacted on 23 October 2024. It replaces many older gambling laws with one licensing system and creates the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, which licenses and supervises gambling, restricts advertising and protects children and people harmed by gambling. The National Lottery stays outside it, under its own law.

The Act is coming into force in stages, by commencement orders. Some parts already apply, such as the ban on children gambling. Others, including the National Gambling Exclusion Register and the limits on inducements, had not started when we last checked.

We check the GRAI register at least monthly and log each change in the change log for this page.

The GRAI is licensing one sector at a time, and betting went first. Online casino games fall under remote gaming licences, which form a later phase. Until that phase opens, there is no Irish licence an online casino can hold. Every online casino open to Irish players today is licensed by a regulator somewhere else, such as Malta, or not at all.

That's why we never call a casino Irish-licensed. If a casino claims a GRAI casino licence before gaming licensing opens, treat it as a warning sign.

• The rules for operators differ by product. As iGaming Business reported in March 2026, it is an offence to provide remote betting in Ireland without a licence, but providing remote gaming was not yet unlawful. That will change once gaming licensing starts.
• Irish protections are tied to a GRAI licence. The GRAI can act on complaints that a licensed operator broke its obligations, though it doesn't handle individual disputes. Online casinos aren't GRAI licensees, so disputes go to the casino and then to the regulator named in its terms.
• The exclusion register will cover licensed operators. When the National Gambling Exclusion Register goes live, it will let you exclude yourself from GRAI-licensed operators. Casinos licensed elsewhere won't be part of it, so self-exclude with each one directly.
• The casinos you can use may change. Once gaming licensing commences, operators will need a GRAI licence to offer online casino games in Ireland.

1. Scroll to the casino's footer and note the regulator, the licence number and the company name.
2. Open that regulator's own website by typing its address, not through a link on the casino site.
3. Search its public register for the licence number and check that the company name and website match.
4. Check the licence is current, not suspended or expired.
5. If a casino claims a GRAI licence for casino games, check the GRAI register yourself. As of 20 October 2026 it lists betting licences only.

When the Act is fully commenced, gambling advertising on television and radio will be banned between 5.30am and 9pm, and gambling ads on social media will be off by default unless you follow the operator's account there. Ads must not promote excessive gambling or present gambling as socially or financially beneficial, or as attractive to children. The GRAI will set more detailed rules on when, where and how often ads can run.

No online casino holds an Irish licence yet. We never describe a casino as licensed in Ireland, and we show only public offers as each casino states them, never personalised deals. When the GRAI starts issuing gaming licences, we'll show which casinos hold one and update this tracker the same week.

The Act's ban on using credit cards to pay for gambling commenced on 5 February 2026, and since 1 July 2026 GRAI-licensed operators must not accept credit cards or otherwise give customers credit. You may see sites say Ireland banned credit card gambling in April 2020. That's the date Great Britain's Gambling Commission banned it there, not an Irish date.

The ban binds licensed operators. Online casinos licensed outside Ireland aren't GRAI licensees, so some may still take credit cards, and your card issuer may decline the payment anyway. Either way, gambling with borrowed money adds interest to any losses, so use a debit card or another method.

Bank of Ireland, AIB, EBS and Revolut all offer a gambling block for their customers, according to the GRAI. A block stops card payments coded as gambling, including to online casinos.

• Revolut: in the app, tap your profile, then Security, then Payments, and turn on the gambling block. Switching it off takes up to 48 hours. It doesn't cover bank transfers.
• Bank of Ireland, AIB and EBS: use your bank's app or contact the bank to set it up.

Blocks rely on how a merchant codes its payments, so a site using a different code can get through. Combine a block with deposit limits and blocking software for the strongest protection.

Irish tax law says winnings from betting, lotteries, sweepstakes or games with prizes are not chargeable gains (section 613 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997), and Revenue lists betting and lottery wins among the gains you don't pay Capital Gains Tax on. Casual players generally keep their winnings without paying tax on them. If your situation is unusual, ask a tax adviser. This isn't tax advice.

You must be 18 or over to gamble in Ireland, and it's an offence to let a child gamble. Since 1 July 2026, GRAI-licensed remote operators must verify your identity and age before you register, using photo ID, proof of address and a recent bank, building society or credit union statement. Casinos licensed elsewhere follow their own regulator's rules, but they'll also ask for ID before paying out.

If gambling is causing you harm, the Gambling Care helpline is open 24 hours a day on 1800 936 725. More services are on our gambling help page.

• 21 Oct 2026 First published. GRAI register (last updated 20 Oct 2026) checked on 21 Oct 2026: 42 licences held by 40 operators (37 remote betting, 4 remote betting intermediary, 1 in-person betting) and no gaming licences.