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1. Market overview
Where the market sits, who runs it and under what law.
Gambling business in Ireland
The gambling business is legalized in Ireland. The sports betting and horse racing industry is well developed in the country. Bookmakers have been operating successfully in Ireland since the 18th century. As for the direction of the casino, it has been established as a semi-legal private club that offers gambling to its customers.
Gambling has been allowed in Ireland since the age of 18.
The Irish gambling market (excluding casinos) contributes around € 2 billion annually to the country's budget (GGR). As well as bets - about 1 billion euros in total revenue. As for the casinos, they issue more than 200 million euros every year.
Different types of gambling are regulated by different bodies, for example, the National Lottery Regulatory Authority is responsible for the state lottery. The Department of Justice and Equality deals with bets and online bets.
Irish gambling legislation
The most popular area of the gambling business in Ireland is betting. Bookmakers are subject to the Betting Act of 1931, as amended in 2015. Games and lotteries (other than national) are subject to Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956, as amended in 2013. By law, gambling is generally prohibited. Exceptions:
- Gambling in circuses,
- Travel shows.
Gambling Law Reform in Ireland
Irish gambling legislation as of 2016 is outdated and requires reform. The government has been considering the issue since 2013: a draft law on gambling control (the so-called "heads") was published on 15 July.
This plan has no legal force however, it provides guidelines for future reform. According to the plan, all regulations of the gambling business should be included in one law and create a single licensing regime for gambling in all areas. In addition, under the plan, a new regulator will be set up - the Gambling Control Office, in Ireland (OGCI).
Licensing reform
The master plan offers licenses for both land and online casinos. A total of 43 categories of gambling licenses and two categories of registration forms are planned. OGCI issues licenses. The registration system will apply to residents of Ireland - or rather, to those who gamble in that country. According to the plan, bookmakers will be able to secure games at their points, although the exact opinion of the government on this issue is not yet known. For a long time, casinos were perceived negatively by the public, but with the advent of online platforms, the situation has changed. The Casino Regulatory Committee supported the reform of the casino sector in 2006-2008. The master plan offers up to 40 casino licenses. The norm for gaming tables is 15, the norm for gaming machines is 25 on the playing field. The location of casinos is also strictly regulated: for example, they are not located next to hospitals, churches, schools.
Gaming regulators
The National Lottery is managed by the National Lottery Regulatory Office (ORNL). The organization controls the lottery, approves new games and controls the prize pool. Revenue commissioners themselves issue betting and online betting licenses. He also oversees online bookmakers. The Irish Advertising Standards Authority publishes and monitors advertising standards. Irish police and courts may issue licenses for small and charitable lotteries.
Terms of obtaining a license in the jurisdiction of gambling
Casino licenses are not issued - they operate as "private clubs". In the case of bookmakers, the company must first obtain a certificate of professional skills from the Ministry of Justice. If the company submits an application, then at least two senior company officials must have such a certificate. Certificates are then issued to the site - it must meet the requirements for betting points. The exception is the equestrian trail. The site certificate fee is 760 Euros. The license is issued for a period of 2 years. Its fee is 500 euros.
Licensed types of gambling
The following gambling is legal in Ireland:
- Poker;
- Bet;
- Tota;
- Casino games;
- Toys and slot machines;
- Terminal games;
- Bingo and lottery.
Reform in licensed games
In general, the list of allowed games is compiled by the Minister of Justice, Equality and Legal Reform. For a certain category of general scheme there are the following provisions: Financial rates remained under the control of the central bank;
- Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBT) remained banned, unlike neighboring UK;
- Slot machines are allowed, they can be placed in separate points, bars, shopping malls and airports;
- Lotteries are introduced for charitable purposes. An annual license is issued for lotteries with a prize pool of more than € 250,000 per month;
- Scratch cards require a separate license. The maximum prize should not exceed 1,750 euros.
- Online games are quite affordable: the general plan does not limit the number of online casinos, bookmakers and other operators.
Online gambling in Ireland
Online gambling in Ireland does not yet have a clear licensing regime. In general, online gambling is prohibited. Nevertheless, foreign operators (from the Isle of Man, Malta, etc.) offer their services to the residents of Ireland. There are two types of online licenses: online bookmaker and online seller. In the first case, players place bets with the bookmaker himself, in the second the operator provides a platform where players exchange bets with each other. The license for an online operator differs in that they do not need to obtain a certificate for the site. The cost of the license is 10,000 euros. The cost of the upgrade depends on the operator's income and ranges between 10,000-500,000 euros.
Popular slot machines in the country
The most popular slot machines in Ireland are:
- Age of the Gods: King of Olympus;
- White King;
- Luck O ’The Irish;
- Stardust;
- Goldwyn's Fairies.
Conclusion
Ireland does not have well-developed gambling legislation which drastically hinders the development of the legal gambling business. The government loses quite significant taxes that may come to the treasury from the operators. The Irish are considered to be one of the most adventurous nations. The annual market volume is estimated at almost 2 billion euros. On a good legal basis, as in neighboring UK, the gambling business can provide a good income for the state.
- Region
- Europe
- Legal status of gambling
- Partially regulated
- National regulator
- Split across bodies: the National Lottery Regulatory Office (ORNL/NLRO) for the state lottery; the Department of Justice and Equality, acting through the Revenue Commissioners, for betting licences and oversight of bookmakers, including online; the Irish Advertising Standards Authority for advertising; Irish police and courts for small or charitable lottery permits.
- Regulator website
- Under verification
- Key legislation
- Betting Act 1931 (as amended in 2015); Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956 (as amended in 2013); an unenacted "heads of bill" on gambling control, published in the source's reform year, proposing a single licensing regime across all gambling and a new regulator (the Office for Gambling Control in Ireland, OGCI).
- Minimum player age
- 18
2. Allowed verticals
What may be offered, and whether it needs a licence.
| Vertical | Status | Licence required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports betting | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Bookmaking regulated under the Betting Act 1931 (as amended 2015); well established in Ireland since the 18th century. Fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) are banned. |
| Land-based casino | Restricted | No | No casino licences are issued; casinos operate as unlicensed "private clubs." The (unenacted) reform plan envisaged up to 40 casino licences, with a norm of 15 gaming tables and 25 gaming machines per floor, and casinos barred from sites near hospitals, churches or schools. |
| Poker | Permitted | No | Legal, offered within the unlicensed private-club casino model. |
| Slots / gaming halls | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Permitted in standalone premises, bars, shopping centres and airports under the Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956 (as amended 2013). |
| Bingo | Permitted with a licence | Yes | — |
| Lottery | Permitted with a licence | Yes | The National Lottery is overseen by the National Lottery Regulatory Office; other lotteries for charitable purposes need an annual licence once the monthly prize pool exceeds €250,000; scratch cards need a separate licence capped at a €1,750 prize. |
| Online casino | Restricted | No | No clear domestic licensing regime at the time of the source; online gambling is generally prohibited in principle, but foreign operators (e.g. from the Isle of Man, Malta) serve Irish residents in practice. Two online licence categories existed for bookmaking-type operators — online bookmaker and online betting exchange — each costing €10,000 to apply for. |
3. Licensing framework
What a licence is, what it costs and what the holder must have in country.
- B2C licensing
- Under verification
- B2B licensing
- Under verification
- Licence term
- A betting-premises licence is issued for 2 years. An annual licence is required for lotteries with a prize pool exceeding €250,000 per month; scratch-card games require a separate licence (maximum prize €1,750).
- Application fee
- €760 for a betting-premises certificate; €500 for the related bookmaker's licence; €10,000 to apply for an online bookmaker or betting-exchange licence, with renewal cost thereafter ranging €10,000–€500,000 depending on the operator's income.
- Annual fee
- Under verification
- Local presence required
- A bookmaking company must have at least two senior officials holding a certificate of professional competence from the Ministry of Justice before applying; an online-only operator's licence differs in that it does not require certifying a physical premises.
- Share capital required
- Under verification
5. Technical requirements and compliance
What has to be certified, recorded and kept inside the border.
- Certification and game testing
- Under verification
- Responsible gambling
- Fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) are banned, unlike in the neighbouring UK.
- AML regime
- Under verification
- AML and KYC
- Under verification
- Server and data localisation
- Under verification
Take the Ireland brief with you
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Planning to enter Ireland?
A regulatory assessment reads Ireland's regime against your own products, licence class and corporate structure, and says what follows for each: what you may offer, what you must hold, what it costs and what will change.
Who wrote this
- Last reviewed
Regulatory Intelligence disclaimer
Information is provided for general regulatory intelligence purposes and should not be treated as legal advice for a specific transaction or business model. Regulatory requirements may change and should be confirmed before market entry or implementation.