Ireland is rebuilding its gambling regulatory system around the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, or GRAI. The regulator became operational on 5 March 2025 and started accepting applications for in-person betting, remote betting and remote betting intermediary licences on 9 February 2026.
Online casino regulation sits at a different stage. The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 creates a dedicated Remote Gaming Licence for games supplied online, but GRAI’s current Operator Portal accepts betting applications only. Revenue also confirmed in July 2026 that it continues to license gaming until those responsibilities transfer to GRAI.
That distinction matters when comparing the best online casinos in Ireland in 2026. A casino may accept Irish customers or hold an MGA, UKGC or another foreign licence without holding an Irish remote gaming licence.
Use this guide to compare regulatory status, games, euro payments, KYC, withdrawals and player-protection controls while Ireland moves toward its full licensing system.
Ireland does not yet have the same mature GRAI-licensed online casino market that Sweden has under Spelinspektionen or Germany has under its national framework.
GRAI currently accepts applications for:
Its portal does not currently offer a Remote Gaming Licence application route. Revenue continues to handle existing gaming licensing during the transition.
[CUSTOM IRELAND ONLINE CASINO BLOCK]
For each casino, the comparison block should show:
For the Irish status column, use clear labels such as:
Do not use a Licensed in Ireland badge merely because a site holds an MGA or UKGC licence.
Ireland is replacing several older gambling laws and licensing routes with a single regulatory structure administered by GRAI.
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| 23 October 2024 | Gambling Regulation Act 2024 signed into law |
| 5 March 2025 | GRAI became operational |
| 5 February 2026 | Major betting-licensing, enforcement and player-account provisions commenced |
| 9 February 2026 | GRAI opened applications for remote and in-person betting licences |
| During 2026 | Revenue continues gaming licensing until responsibility transfers |
| Current 2026 stage | GRAI remote gaming applications are not yet available through the Operator Portal |
| Future phase | Remote Gaming Licences will authorise approved games supplied online |
GRAI became Ireland’s statutory gambling regulator on 5 March 2025. Its powers are being introduced in phases rather than through one market-wide launch.
A commencement order that took effect on 5 February 2026 activated major parts of the new regime. It allowed GRAI to begin licensing remote and in-person betting and brought several enforcement and consumer-protection provisions into operation.
Applications opened four days later, on 9 February. The available categories were remote betting, remote betting intermediary and in-person betting.
Online casino gaming follows a separate licensing category. Section 86 of the Gambling Regulation Act creates a Remote Gaming Licence that can authorise approved games by remote means.
Do not treat a Remote Betting Licence as permission to offer online slots, roulette or blackjack.
Ireland’s transition makes regulatory status the first part of every review.
We check:
A betting licence does not establish casino authorisation. GRAI treats betting and gaming as separate B2C licensing categories.
When an online casino does not hold an Irish Remote Gaming Licence, we identify any current foreign regulator.
We check:
A foreign licence should be described by its actual jurisdiction rather than converted into an Irish licence claim.
We compare:
Ireland’s new system will require GRAI to prescribe the games that gaming licence holders may provide. Each gaming licence will state which approved games that operator can offer.
We review:
Payment rules also need to reflect Ireland’s new restrictions on gambling funded with credit.
We check:
We review:
The new Act contains specific rules for remote gambling accounts, customer identification and player monetary controls.
Ireland needs more explanation than a simple yes or no.
The country is moving from an older mixture of betting and gaming legislation to the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. GRAI is already operational, but different licence categories are transferring at different times.
GRAI currently accepts applications for remote betting, remote betting intermediary and in-person betting licences.
Gaming has not completed the same transition. Revenue stated on 7 July 2026 that it will continue to licence gaming until transition to GRAI. Existing Revenue gaming licences concern the legacy Gaming and Lotteries Act framework rather than a new GRAI online casino licence.
At the same time, Ireland’s new Gambling Regulation Act already defines the future Remote Gaming Licence. That licence will allow its holder to provide the games specified in the licence through remote means.
| Operator status | Meaning in 2026 |
|---|---|
| GRAI Remote Betting Licence | Covers remote betting, not online casino gaming |
| GRAI Remote Gaming Licence | Created by the new Act, but the application phase is not currently open |
| MGA or UKGC casino | Foreign-regulated operator |
| Revenue gaming licence | Legacy Irish gaming framework |
| Casino accessible from Ireland | Accessibility alone does not prove Irish licensing |
| Future GRAI gaming licensee | Will need permission for relevant remote games |
Avoid describing every foreign casino available to Irish users as either fully Irish-licensed or automatically illegal. The transition has not reached the point where GRAI operates the full remote gaming licensing route.
The safer distinction for 2026 is Irish-licensed, foreign-regulated or unverified.
GRAI is Ireland’s new independent statutory gambling regulator.
Its mandate covers gambling, gaming, betting and certain lottery activities. It does not regulate the National Lottery.
Its functions include:
GRAI states that obligations under the Gambling Regulation Act apply to licence holders as they enter the regulator’s licensing system in phases.
Revenue still has a transitional role.
Betting licensing transferred to GRAI in February 2026. Revenue confirmed in July that it continues to license gaming until the gaming function transfers to the new regulator.
Legacy Revenue gaming licences concern gaming machines and premises under the older Gaming and Lotteries Act structure. They should not be presented as modern Irish remote casino licences.
Some older permits and lottery licensing functions remain with existing bodies until the relevant parts of the new framework take over.
| Authority | Role during the 2026 transition |
|---|---|
| GRAI | New regulator, betting licensing, supervision and phased gambling regulation |
| Revenue | Remaining gaming licensing during transition |
| An Garda Síochána | Selected legacy permit functions |
| District Courts | Selected legacy lottery licensing |
| Revenue tax functions | Gambling-related taxation |
Ireland’s structure will become simpler as more Gambling Regulation Act provisions and licence categories move under GRAI.
The Remote Gaming Licence is the licence category designed for online casino-style gaming under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024.
Section 86 requires GRAI to prescribe a list of games that gaming licensees may provide. An individual gaming licence then identifies the relevant games authorised for that operator.
The Act provides three gaming licence formats:
| Gaming licence | Purpose |
|---|---|
| In-Person Gaming Licence | Approved games at one or more physical premises |
| Remote Gaming Licence | Approved games supplied remotely |
| In-Person and Remote Gaming Licence | Approved games through both channels |
A Remote Gaming Licence differs from a Remote Betting Licence.
Remote betting covers betting activities supplied at a distance. GRAI already accepts applications for that category. Remote gaming covers the relevant games prescribed under the gaming framework.
That distinction matters for casino reviews. A bookmaker that obtains a GRAI Remote Betting Licence should not receive a GRAI Licensed Casino badge unless it later receives the gaming permission required for its casino products.
As of August 2026, GRAI’s Operator Portal continues to list only betting categories for applications.
Licence checking requires an extra step during the transition because you must identify the type of Irish licence rather than searching only for a brand name.
Find the legal company in the website footer and terms.
Determine whether the operator holds or has applied for:
GRAI’s present application system lists the three betting categories.
Do not assume that a remote bookmaker licence covers slots or table games.
The Gambling Regulation Act creates gaming licences separately from betting licences.
GRAI changes the licensing framework in phases. A page last checked several months ago can give the wrong impression about which applications or licences are available.
If the casino currently operates under a foreign licence, verify that licence with the foreign regulator and describe it accurately.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Legal company | Identifies the operator |
| GRAI licence category | Distinguishes betting from gaming |
| Licence status | Confirms whether permission is active |
| Online platform | Connects the operator with the website |
| Foreign regulator | Shows current non-Irish oversight where applicable |
| Last review date | Important during the phased transition |
Do not rely on an Irish flag, EUR cashier, .ie marketing reference or “Irish casino” wording as proof of GRAI gaming authorisation.
A casino can hold a legitimate foreign licence without holding a GRAI Remote Gaming Licence.
| Casino claim | What it establishes |
|---|---|
| “MGA licensed” | Regulation in Malta |
| “UKGC licensed” | Regulation for the British market |
| “EU licensed” | No single EU-wide casino licence exists |
| “Accepts Irish players” | Market availability |
| “EUR casino” | Currency support |
| “Irish-friendly” | Marketing language |
| “GRAI Remote Betting licensed” | Betting permission, not casino gaming permission |
The most important rule for an Ireland comparison page is to name the licence that actually exists.
GRAI’s current portal has opened betting licensing, while the statutory framework separately provides for future Remote Gaming Licences. Revenue continues its legacy gaming function until that transition occurs.
Do not turn an MGA licence into “licensed in Ireland.” Do not turn an Irish Remote Betting Licence into casino permission either.
The same caution applies in the other direction. Ireland’s gaming transition is incomplete, so a 2026 review should avoid blanket statements that every foreign-regulated casino accessible to an Irish player already violates a fully implemented GRAI remote gaming licensing system.
State the operator’s actual regulatory position instead.
The new Gambling Regulation Act gives GRAI control over the games that gaming licensees may provide.
Section 86 requires the Authority to prescribe a list of eligible games. Each licence must specify which of those games the operator may offer.
Potential casino categories can include games that fit the Act’s broad definition of gaming, but EUSlot should not claim that every casino product has received GRAI approval before the regulator publishes its prescribed game list.
Slot-style games can fall within remote gaming where they meet the prescribed framework.
Traditional casino table games can fit the gaming category, subject to GRAI prescribing them and the operator receiving permission for the relevant games.
The same licence-specific principle applies. Availability at a foreign casino does not prove approval under Ireland’s future Remote Gaming Licence.
The Act defines a game broadly enough to include games involving skill, chance or both where participation involves payment and can result in a prize. The final licensed offering still depends on GRAI’s prescribed games and the operator’s permission.
Using a live dealer or video stream does not remove the need for the correct remote gaming authorisation.
Players should check the operator’s actual Irish licence scope once the remote gaming regime opens rather than assuming that one casino licence permits every product.
Ireland’s new remote gambling account framework sets 18 as the minimum age.
Section 169 of the Gambling Regulation Act states that a person must have reached 18 before applying for a remote gambling account. The licence holder must verify both identity and age before opening the account.
Under the new framework, registration follows this structure:
The Act provides a document-based verification route.
A player can provide a photo-identification document that contains:
Alternatively, a player can provide photo identification containing the name and date of birth plus two qualifying documents confirming the address. Section 169 defines qualifying address documents as certain recent utility bills, insurance policies or documents issued by Revenue or a government department.
GRAI can prescribe additional verification methods.
These provisions describe the new remote gambling account system. A foreign-regulated casino operating during the transition may currently use the KYC process required by its own licensing jurisdiction.
Age verification is one part of KYC. Casinos also use customer due diligence to understand who controls the account and the money moving through it.
| Check | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Passport or national ID | Identity and age |
| Proof of address | Residential verification |
| Electronic verification | Remote identity confirmation |
| Bank account | Payment ownership |
| Payment record | Matches a transaction |
| Source-of-funds evidence | Explains deposited money |
| Transaction history | Supports risk monitoring |
Under Ireland’s new remote account rules, the operator must verify identity and age before opening the gambling account. Section 169 sets the minimum age at 18 and specifies documentary verification requirements while allowing GRAI to approve additional methods.
KYC can continue after registration. An operator may need more information when:
A foreign-regulated casino can also apply the AML and KYC rules of its licensing jurisdiction while Ireland’s remote gaming regime remains in transition.
Use your own payment account and enter your legal name accurately. A mismatch between the casino profile and bank or wallet details can trigger additional review before a payout.
No legitimate KYC process requires you to send a complete online-banking password, card PIN or one-time authentication code to casino support.
Ireland’s new gambling framework requires covered licence holders to give players control over the amount they spend.
Section 164 of the Gambling Regulation Act requires a licence holder to provide a facility that lets a participant set a monetary limit on either:
Ireland does not use Germany’s standard €1,000 cross-provider monthly deposit limit.
| Limit type | New Irish framework |
|---|---|
| Player-set monetary limit | Required |
| Limit on an individual activity | Can be set |
| Overall operator spending limit | Can be set |
| Universal €1,000 national monthly cap | No |
| Additional GRAI restrictions | May be prescribed |
| Credit-card funding | Prohibited for covered licensees |
GRAI may introduce more detailed requirements through regulations as the licensing system develops. The Act also allows rules that limit how much money an account holder can lodge into a remote gambling account over a specified period.
For an Ireland casino comparison, avoid inventing a fixed deposit ceiling where the regulator has not published one. Compare the actual controls displayed by each operator after remote gaming licences become active.
Payment options will depend on each licensed casino and its banking partners.
Potential non-credit methods include:
The important distinction under the new Irish framework concerns credit.
Section 165 prohibits covered licence holders from accepting a credit card, extending credit to a player or knowingly facilitating credit for gambling. The prohibition also includes digital or electronic payments funded with money loaded from a credit card.
| Payment method | New framework |
|---|---|
| Debit card | Potentially permitted |
| Bank transfer | Potentially permitted |
| Instant bank payment | Potentially permitted |
| E-wallet funded by debit | Potentially permitted |
| Credit card | Prohibited |
| E-wallet funded from credit card | Prohibited |
| Casino-provided credit | Prohibited |
GRAI’s player-safety guidance also identifies credit cards, credit facilities and electronic payment methods funded through credit cards as prohibited under the Act.
For online casinos, describe this rule in the context of the new GRAI licensing regime. Ireland’s remote gaming phase remains in transition, so do not imply that every foreign-regulated casino available in Ireland already operates under these GRAI payment rules.
Use a payment account in your own name and check the live cashier before depositing.
Withdrawal procedures depend on the operator, KYC status and payment method.
A practical process is:
Ireland’s new remote gambling framework requires operators to maintain player accounts and provide customers with access to account information. GRAI’s player guidance states that remote gambling websites must allow customers to see their account balance and payments made toward gambling activities.
Under the new framework, a remote gambling account must close when the player requests closure in writing or after 13 months without participation in relevant gambling activity, subject to the rules for excluded players.
When an account closes, remaining credit must be returned to the customer under the statutory rules. GRAI states that funds can instead transfer to the Social Impact Fund where the operator cannot contact the customer.
A fast deposit does not guarantee an equally fast payout. Casino processing, payment verification and bank settlement remain separate stages.
Future internal links:
Ireland’s new framework places specific limits on gambling inducements.
Section 157 prohibits a covered licence holder from offering an inducement to a specific person or specific group of people. The law permits the Minister to regulate or prohibit inducements offered to the general public.
An inducement means a benefit or advantage intended to encourage gambling participation.
When GRAI remote casino licences become operational, compare promotions by:
| Bonus factor | What to check |
|---|---|
| Public or targeted offer | Personal inducements face restrictions |
| Minimum deposit | Qualification requirement |
| Bonus value | Promotional amount |
| Wagering | Required play |
| Eligible games | Contribution rules |
| Expiry | Completion deadline |
| Maximum stake | Promotional betting restriction |
| Maximum cashout | Possible winnings cap |
Do not apply Sweden’s one-bonus rule to Ireland. Irish law uses a different approach based on targeted inducements and further regulations governing offers to the general public.
During the transition, a foreign-regulated casino may follow the bonus rules of its existing regulator. Those terms should not be presented as GRAI-approved Irish bonus conditions.
The Gambling Regulation Act introduces detailed advertising restrictions for licence holders as the GRAI regime reaches each licence category.
GRAI states that obligations under the Act apply to licence holders as they become licensed by the Authority through the phased rollout.
Section 149 prohibits covered gambling advertising through broadcasters, audiovisual on-demand services and on-demand sound services between 5:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., subject to the statutory exceptions.
A licence holder cannot arrange social-media or video-platform gambling advertising to a person unless the recipient has an account with the platform and has subscribed to the gambling operator’s account, subject to the applicable regulations.
Electronic gambling marketing requires the recipient’s consent and must give them an accessible way to stop receiving it.
Advertising cannot contain material likely to appeal to children, encourage children to gamble, promote excessive gambling or mislead consumers about gambling’s financial or social advantages.
| Advertising rule | New framework |
|---|---|
| TV/radio gambling ads 5:30–21:00 | Restricted |
| Direct email/SMS | Requires consent |
| Social-media targeting | Restricted |
| Child-focused gambling ads | Prohibited |
| Ads encouraging excessive gambling | Prohibited |
| Personalised inducements | Prohibited |
These rules should be reviewed again when remote gaming licences launch. Do not describe every foreign casino advertisement seen by an Irish user as advertising by an existing GRAI gaming licensee.
The Gambling Regulation Act creates a National Gambling Exclusion Register administered by GRAI.
The register is designed to provide one central self-exclusion mechanism for remote gambling supplied by Irish licence holders. GRAI’s current player information still describes it in future terms, stating that it will be a centralised record for people who want to exclude themselves from licensed online gambling.
This matters in 2026 because EUSlot should not claim that the register already works across a mature market of GRAI-licensed online casinos.
Under section 46, once a person is entered in the National Gambling Exclusion Register, a covered remote licence holder must not:
If an operator cannot access the register in real time for reasons other than a failure of GRAI’s system, it must stop the covered gambling activity until access returns.
| Protection | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Operator self-exclusion | Blocks access with one operator |
| National Gambling Exclusion Register | Central exclusion across covered licence holders |
| Monetary limit | Restricts player spending |
| Account information | Shows balance and gambling payments |
| Activity alerts | Shows spending, wins, losses and time |
| Support information | Directs players to gambling-help services |
GRAI also says remote gambling operators will need to send periodic account alerts showing net spend, wins, losses and time spent gambling.
Until remote gaming licensing launches, treat the GRAI column as the new Irish framework, not a list of already active online casino licensees.
| Feature | GRAI Remote Gaming Casino | Foreign-Regulated Casino |
|---|---|---|
| Irish Remote Gaming Licence | Required | No |
| GRAI supervision | Yes | Foreign regulator |
| Irish account safeguards | Required | Depends on jurisdiction |
| Player monetary limits | Irish framework applies | Foreign rules |
| Credit-card prohibition | Applies under Irish rules | Depends on jurisdiction |
| National exclusion register | Connected | No |
| Irish advertising rules | Apply | No GRAI licence |
| GRAI enforcement | Yes | Limited or none |
| Irish licence status | Locally licensed | Foreign licence only |
A foreign licence can still represent genuine regulatory oversight. It does not become an Irish Remote Gaming Licence.
The same distinction applies to betting. A GRAI Remote Betting Licence authorises betting within its scope. It does not automatically authorise online slots, roulette or blackjack.
Irish player taxation should be separated from operator gambling taxes.
Revenue explicitly lists gains from betting and lottery wins among gains exempt from Capital Gains Tax.
For ordinary recreational players, gambling winnings are generally received without a separate Irish player gambling tax being withheld from each win. Personal circumstances can change the treatment where gambling activity forms part of a trade or where the winnings later generate taxable investment income.
Ireland also taxes gambling businesses through separate mechanisms.
For example, Revenue states that remote betting is subject to Remote Betting Duty and that eGaming services are liable to VAT at the standard rate under the applicable place-of-supply rules.
| Tax issue | General position |
|---|---|
| Recreational betting gain | CGT-exempt |
| Lottery win | CGT-exempt |
| Casino player winnings | Usually no direct player gambling tax |
| Professional/trading activity | Can require separate analysis |
| Income earned after investing winnings | Separate tax rules |
| eGaming business services | VAT rules can apply |
For a high-value or professional gambling situation, use Irish tax advice based on the player’s circumstances.
Use this checklist during the 2026 transition:
GRAI regulates gambling through a phased rollout, and Revenue confirmed in July 2026 that gaming licensing had not yet completed its transfer to the Authority.
That makes the last regulatory review date an important field on every Ireland casino comparison.
Using a phone does not change the licence category a casino needs.
Under the new system, licence and account requirements apply to remote gambling whether the player connects through a browser, mobile website or application.
A mobile casino should preserve:
The Gambling Regulation Act requires remote account holders to receive terms and conditions when they first access a gambling activity and again after those terms change. Players must also retain access to the terms from the operator’s website.
App-store availability does not prove GRAI gaming authorisation. Check the legal operator and licence category rather than relying on the app name or an Irish flag.
Ireland is transitioning to a dedicated regulated online gaming framework. GRAI is operational, but remote casino gaming licensing has not yet completed the same rollout as betting licensing. Revenue confirmed in July 2026 that it continues to license gaming until the transition to GRAI.
Yes. GRAI is Ireland’s statutory gambling regulator and is introducing licence categories in phases.
Do not assume so from site availability or a betting licence. The dedicated Remote Gaming Licence exists in the new law, but the online casino licensing phase remains part of the transition.
It is the Irish licence intended to cover prescribed games supplied remotely, including future regulated online casino products.
No. Betting and gaming use different licensing categories under the Gambling Regulation Act.
An MGA licence establishes Maltese regulation. It does not equal a GRAI Remote Gaming Licence.
Check the legal operator, GRAI licence category, registration details and product scope. During the transition, also verify whether the casino relies on a foreign licence.
The new remote gambling account system sets the minimum age at 18.
The new GRAI remote account regime requires identity and age verification before account opening. Further payment or source-of-funds checks may also apply.
The new framework requires a registered remote gambling account with verified identity. Anonymous remote play is not the model established by the Act.
Covered licence holders must provide a facility that lets players set a monetary limit on individual or total gambling payments.
No Germany-style universal €1,000 monthly limit appears in the standard Irish framework.
Under the new regime, covered licence holders cannot accept credit-card gambling payments.
The prohibition extends to digital or electronic payment methods using money loaded from a credit card.
There is no single processing time for every casino. Check the operator’s terms, KYC status and payment method.
The new Act prohibits licence holders from offering an inducement to an individual or specific group.
The Act allows general-public inducements to be subject to regulations made by the Minister.
Covered gambling advertising through certain broadcast and on-demand media is prohibited between 5:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
It is GRAI’s planned central register for people who want to exclude themselves from licensed remote gambling.
GRAI’s current player guidance describes the service as something that will be available, so do not present it as a mature nationwide online-casino exclusion system in August 2026.
Covered remote licensees must stop providing gambling, accepting payments and sending invitations to gamble while the exclusion applies.
Revenue lists gains from betting and lottery wins as exempt from Capital Gains Tax. Recreational casino winnings generally do not involve a standard player gambling tax deducted from each payout, though unusual professional or business circumstances need separate advice.
No. A foreign licence and an Irish Remote Gaming Licence are separate regulatory permissions.
Ireland’s online casino market remains in regulatory transition in 2026.
GRAI is active, but the current licensing rollout has moved faster for betting than for remote casino gaming. Revenue confirmed as recently as July 2026 that it continues to handle gaming licensing until that responsibility transfers.
Do not describe an MGA, UKGC or other foreign-regulated casino as GRAI-licensed. Do not treat a Remote Betting Licence as permission for slots or table games.
The new Irish framework introduces verified remote accounts, player monetary limits, a credit-card ban, restrictions on targeted inducements and a National Gambling Exclusion Register.
Update this page as soon as GRAI opens Remote Gaming Licence applications or publishes the first active remote gaming licensees.
