This report represents the findings of a national stakeholder consultation commissioned by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) in partnership with Pobal, to inform the strategic direction of the new Social Impact Fund.
The fund represents a critical opportunity to deliver a coordinated, system level response to gambling-related harm in Ireland and to address the longstanding gaps in prevention, treatment and recovery supports.
This consultation marks the first stage in the development of the fund’s investment strategy. Its purpose was to identify priority areas for action drawing on the lived, professional and organisational experiences of those most directly affected by or working to address gambling harm.
A broader public consultation, including input on the structure of the statutory annual contribution from licensed gambling operators will follow. The findings presented here reflect the views and insights of consultation participants and do not represent prevalence data or formal evaluations. Recognising the escalating scale and complexity of gambling-related harm in Ireland, the consultation was designed to provide a grounded, context specific needs analysis.
Five tailored stakeholder questionnaires were completed by 162 respondents and five focus group workshops engaged 54 participants across key sectors. These included individuals with lived experience of gambling addiction, affected family members, gambling counsellors, residential and community-based treatment providers, NGOs and academic researchers. This mixed-methods approach generated rich qualitative insights to inform the national strategy. Findings across all groups highlight a strong consensus that while valuable work is underway, the national response to gambling harm remains limited in scale, inconsistently coordinated and marked by service and policy gaps. The absence of a dedicated national framework and unified referral pathways were recurring concerns. Participants viewed the Social Impact Fund as a foundational mechanism to strengthen infrastructure, address service gaps and invest in sustainable responses.
Read the full report: here
