Ireland opens online betting license applications
Ireland has reached a major milestone in its gambling reform agenda, with applications for the country’s first remote betting and betting intermediary licences now officially open under the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI).
The licences cover operators offering betting online and through other remote channels such as telephone betting, along with businesses that facilitate betting between parties. Licences for land-based betting operators are expected to open later this year as the regulator continues its phased rollout.
The move marks the first stage of Ireland’s new licensing framework established under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, bringing online betting sites under a dedicated national regulator for the first time.
Gambling operators granted a GRAI licence will be required to comply with a range of new consumer protection measures, including mandatory age verification, guaranteed payment of customer winnings and the ability for customers to close their betting accounts on request.
The new rules also prohibit operators from facilitating gambling on credit or accepting credit card payments.
Licensed operators will be subject to ongoing compliance monitoring, with the GRAI empowered to investigate breaches, impose significant sanctions and take enforcement action against businesses operating without a licence.
Ireland’s Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said the commencement of licensing represents a significant step forward for Ireland’s gambling industry.
“The commencement of licences for remote betting operators establishes a clear and robust regulatory regime for the gambling sector, strengthening Ireland’s reputation as a well-regulated market, and ensuring operators are held to consistent standards of compliance,” he sad.
GRAI Chief Executive Anne Marie Caulfield said the regulator had chosen to begin with remote betting because it is the country’s largest gambling sector.
She warned that obtaining a licence would involve extensive scrutiny, with applicants required to demonstrate they are suitable to operate, financially capable of providing gambling services and that customer winnings are funded from legitimate sources.
Caulfield also warned consumers about the risks of using unlicensed gambling operators.
“When gambling is unlicensed, oversight is removed and the risk of harm is radically increased,” she said. “Tackling illegal operators is also a major priority for the GRAI.”
Operating a betting business without the appropriate Irish licence is now a criminal offence, with the regulator confirming it has already begun identifying unlicensed operators targeting the market.
Major betting sites like the Irish-founded Paddy Power, William Hill, bet365 and Betway (Betway review) are just some of the operators that are expected to apply for licensing.
The licensing programme will continue to expand over the next two years, with applications for gaming, lotteries, B2B suppliers, charitable and philanthropic licences scheduled to open throughout 2027 and 2028.
