Stake blocks Irish players ahead of new licensing regime
Stake.com has stopped accepting players in Ireland as the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland begins enforcing the country’s new licensing framework.
The international online casino and sportsbook has confirmed it has closed registrations to Irish customers and intends to seek a licence under Ireland’s new regime.
“Stake closed registrations in the Irish market, and we will look to apply for a licence to operate under the new regime,” a company spokesperson said.
Irish users attempting to access the site are now being shown a message stating that access is unavailable because of licensing restrictions.
The move follows discussions between gambling sites and the newly established Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland.
The regulator told Irish media that a major international gambling platform and two major prediction-market operators had voluntarily geo-blocked Irish consumers following regulatory engagement.
The GRAI did not publicly name the companies, although Stake has subsequently confirmed its own withdrawal. Kalshi and Polymarket have also previously been reported to have restricted Irish access.
The regulator said it is working with operators that have withdrawn to ensure Irish customers have deposited money returned.
“A number of other operators have also closed their betting activities in Ireland following GRAI engagement,” the regulator said.
Ireland’s new regulator is already accepting applications for in-person betting, remote betting and remote betting intermediary licences as it replaces the country’s previous licensing arrangements.
The licensing overhaul represents one of Europe’s more significant gambling regulatory changes, bringing betting businesses under a dedicated regulator with expanded powers over licensing, advertising, compliance and player protection.
Google has also adapted its advertising rules to Ireland’s new system.
From July 1, online gambling companies advertising through Google were required to hold a GRAI licence and reapply for Google certification using their new Irish credentials. A version of this model is also set to be rolled out in Croatia later this year.
Stake already uses geo-blocking in Great Britain after withdrawing from the UK regulated gambling market in 2025.
