Ireland has moved closer to launching a fully regulated gambling market after the Minister for Justice signed a commencement order granting new powers to the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI). The order allows the regulator to begin issuing betting licences and enforcing key provisions of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, starting from February 5. It also enables the authority to impose significant financial penalties and introduce new consumer protection measures.
Ireland Takes a Step Closer to Replacing Ageing Gambling Regulations: Snippets from the Story
- Ireland’s Minister for Justice has signed a commencement order allowing the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) to begin issuing remote and in-person betting licences. This activates key provisions of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 and marks a major step in reforming the country’s gambling legislation.
- The regulator will offer B2C, B2B and charitable gambling licences, with applications opening from February 5. Remote operators can be licensed from July 1, while in-person operators will transition from December 1, when existing licences expire.
- The GRAI also receives strong enforcement powers, including the ability to fine operators up to €20 million or 10% of turnover. New consumer protection rules include a ban on gambling with credit cards, advertising restrictions, mandatory spending limits and the launch of a national self-exclusion register.
GRAI’s Licensing Capabilities Formally Commence
Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, this week signed off on an order granting additional powers to the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI). According to a press release published on Tuesday, February 3, the GRAI can begin issuing betting licences starting from Thursday, February 5.
The order relates to the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, which established the GRAI as the country’s new regulator. The act was passed in October 2024, following which the GRAI became the official regulator in March 2025. As per the order, the GRAI can begin accepting and processing licence applications for both remote and in-person betting.
With this approval, O’Callaghan said the GRAI can issue licences for new entrants as “soon as is feasible”. Ireland’s gambling framework has been in the pipeline for a while. It received all the necessary clearances from the European Commission in September 2025.
Operators can choose from three licence categories spanning B2C, B2B and charity gambling activities. B2C licences cover in-person and remote betting, as well as remote betting intermediary licences. In-person licences cover wagering at a physical venue, while remote permits relate to online activity, including pool betting.
Meanwhile, B2B licences will permit holders to sell or supply gambling products or provide gambling-related services. Finally, the GRAI can issue licences for charitable or philanthropic purposes, such as pool betting at an event or a lottery. Remote operators can be licensed from July 1, and in-person operators from December 1, when existing licences expire.
Minister O’Callaghan noted:
Today marks another important step towards replacing Ireland’s outdated gambling laws with a streamlined and simplified licensing framework. This reflects the nature of modern gambling and takes into account the harms associated with problem gambling by providing safeguards to protect people from those harms, especially children.
Enforcement Measures and Consumer Safeguards Imposed
Aside from licensing, the GRAI will carry out enforcement action to ensure that licensees comply with the new restrictions set out under the act. Measures include a ban on using credit cards for gambling payments and a requirement for operators to allow players to limit their spending. There will also be a ban on placing ATMs in gambling premises.
The act will also prohibit soliciting, such as VIP treatment, free bets, free credit and free hospitality. Meanwhile, a national self-exclusion register, similar to that in the UK, will launch under the authority of the GRAI. New rules will also be put in place on gambling advertisements. Adults will need to opt in to receive marketing communications, while a ban on gambling advertising across TV and radio will be enforced between 5.30 am and 9 pm.
The new law gives the GRAI investigative powers and the authority to penalise violators. Fines can reach up to €20 million, or 10% of a licensee’s turnover, whichever is higher. Additionally, the GRAI can apply for an order directing illegal operators to cease operations.
O’Callaghan continued:
The act provides the GRAI with the necessary enforcement powers to take appropriate and focused action where licensees fail to comply with licensing terms, conditions and regulations, and to deal with unlicensed operators, those operating without the correct licence, or those in contravention of the terms of a licence issued by the authority.
The updated law also activates enforcement, oversight and complaint mechanisms within the new framework and repeals ageing elements of existing legislation. The gambling watchdog has confirmed that it will conduct “boots-on-the-ground” assessments of gambling premises, including checks on proximity to schools and ATMs. With these powers now formalised, Ireland is preparing for the final stages of its transition to a modern, regulated gambling market.