Safer Gambling
What should I know about licensing?
The GRAI's role is to license, supervise, and regulate gambling activity in accordance with the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. Under the Act, providers of gambling activities operating in Ireland or providing gambling products / gambling related services in Ireland will require a GRAI business to consumer (B2C) gambling licence. The new GRAI licenses are being rolled out on a phased basis, with the first licenses commencing on 1 July 2026.
What changes from the 1st of July?
As of the 1st of July 2026, operators providing betting services online or by phone must have a licence issued by the GRAI. Please note that betting activities do not include lotteries and games of chance or skill, such as casino games or slot machines, these activities will be licensed later.
All licensed operators must comply with number of obligations promoting responsible gambling practices and providing protections for the most vulnerable in society, especially children, so that they are protected from gambling harms.
If a licensed operator does not comply with the conditions of their licence, or their obligations the GRAI has the power to investigate and take enforcement action, which can include licence suspension and, in some cases, criminal prosecution.
Consumer Protections
Whilst most obligations and protections under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 have commenced, there are some which have not yet, these include: restrictions around advertising, promotions and inducements, the National Exclusion Register and the Social Impact Fund.
Some of the key protections include:
A licensee cannot allow a child to participate in a gambling activity.
A licensee cannot employ a child.
A licensee can only allow an individual to participate in remote gambling if they hold an account with the licensee.
Licensees must verify the age and identity of a participant who wants to open an online gambling account.
A licensed operator cannot unreasonably withhold the payment of a consumer’s winnings, unless for example, the operator becomes aware of a suspicious gambling pattern in relation to the gambling activity.
A consumer must be provided with the ability to set a spending limit for gambling with the licensed operator.
A licensee cannot accept credit card payments (including payment by any electronic or digital means that uses money loaded from a credit card) or provide credit.
A remote gambling licensed operator must close an account holder’s account when requested in writing by the account-holder or after 13 months of inactivity.
A licensee must provide a copy of their terms and conditions when an individual first accesses the licensee’s remote betting services.
A licensee must provide a copy of the terms and conditions to the consumer each time the terms and conditions change.
The licensee must provide a hyperlink to parental control programmes displayed on their homepage and on each online platform where a gambling activity can be accessed.
If a licensed gambling operator does not adhere to the commenced obligations, a consumer can report it by submitting a complaint to the GRAI. For more information, visit our Complaints page.
Staying Safe from Unlicensed Operators
If a consumer uses an unlicensed operator, oversight is removed, and the risk of harm is radically increased. This is recognised in the severity of the penalty for providing a betting activity without a licence, which is up to eight years imprisonment.
Black market operators often target or allow children to gamble, often target individuals suffering from gambling harm who are excluded elsewhere and often don’t have anti money laundering or counter terrorism measures in place.
Consumers who use unlicensed operators cannot rely on important consumer protections that licensed operators are obligated to provide. These include rules around ensuring operators have sufficient funds to pay out, obligations to close an account on request, obligations to pay out winnings and other consumer protection measures. Adults who engage with black market sites may risk their personal data and financial information being compromised,