Gambling Regulation Act 2024: what it means for bettors

The Act in brief

The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 is the law that now governs betting in Ireland. It was passed on 23 October 2024 as Act No. 35 of 2024 and replaced a licensing system that dated back to the Betting Act 1931. The Act set up a single regulator, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), and a new set of licences that it issues.

The Act does not come into force all at once. Section 1(2) lets the Minister commence it in parts by order, and several important parts have not been commenced yet. That is the main source of confusion in what is written about Irish betting law: many articles describe the whole Act as if it applied today. This page separates what is in force from what is still waiting, using the official Legislation Directory on the Irish Statute Book (updated to 17 September 2026) and pages published by the GRAI.

The table below is the short version. Each row is explained further down, with the section number so you can read the text yourself.

This guide is general information for bettors in Ireland. It is not legal advice, and it does not cover every section of the Act. Rivoatlas is not a bookmaker and does not hold a gambling licence.

Sources: Gambling Regulation Act 2024, as enacted; Legislation Directory for Act No. 35 of 2024; GRAI, 30 June 2026. Read on 3 October 2026.

Key terms the Act uses

Most of the Act turns on a handful of definitions. They decide who needs a licence and which licence. The quotes below are short extracts from sections 2 and 3; read the full text before relying on any of them.

Two points follow from these definitions. First, a bookmaker is defined by what it does — setting odds, accepting bets and paying winnings — not by where its company is registered. A company in Gibraltar or Malta that takes bets from people in Ireland is providing a betting activity here. Second, a betting exchange is not a bookmaker under the Act: it provides a facility for people to bet with each other, so it needs the intermediary licence instead. Our guide to exchanges and bookmakers covers that difference in detail.

The definition of “child” is the basis of the age rules. Every duty about children in the Act uses this definition, so the line is 18, not 16 or 21.

Sources: Gambling Regulation Act 2024, ss. 2(1) and 3 (irishstatutebook.ie). Read on 3 October 2026.

The regulator: GRAI

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland was established on 5 March 2025 by S.I. No. 57 of 2025. It describes itself as “Ireland's new regulator for gambling, gaming, betting and certain lottery activities”. Its website is grai.ie.

For a bettor, the GRAI matters in four ways:

• It issues the licences. Since 1 July 2026 an online bookmaker serving Ireland needs a GRAI licence. Details are in the licensing section below.
• It keeps the public register. The licence register lists each licensee with its licence number, activity, issue and expiry dates and trading names. On 3 October 2026 the register showed “Last updated: September 21st, 2026”.
• It takes complaints about licensees. The GRAI looks at reports that a licensee has broken an obligation that is in force. It does not decide individual disputes between a bettor and a bookmaker. See making a complaint.
• It can go to court about unlicensed operators. Under s. 75 the GRAI can apply to the High Court for orders against anyone providing or advertising betting without a licence.

The GRAI also publishes guidance for licensees. Two documents are useful background for bettors: the Guidance on Relevant Obligations (17 February 2026), which explains duties towards customers, and the Guidance on Advertising Obligations (page updated 28 August 2026), which explains advertising rules that are not yet in force. The GRAI notes that its advertising guidance may later become a code of practice under s. 31.

The register is the one place to confirm a licence. Our step-by-step guide on how to check a licence shows how to search it by company name rather than brand.

Sources: grai.ie; GRAI licence register; Legislation Directory. Read on 3 October 2026.

From Revenue to the GRAI: the switch-over

Before the Act, online bookmakers serving Ireland held a remote bookmaker’s licence issued by Revenue under the Betting Act 1931. The change happened in three steps.

1. 5 February 2026. S.I. No. 31 of 2026 commenced the betting licensing sections and repealed the Betting Act 1931. Revenue now states: “From 5 February 2026, the… (GRAI) is the licensing authority for all forms of betting licences” (Revenue, remote bookmaker’s licence page, published 22 July 2026). The GRAI opened applications on 9 February 2026.
2. 30 June 2026. Under s. 237, a Revenue remote licence continued until its “licence final day”. The licences for the year 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 therefore ran out on 30 June 2026.
3. 1 July 2026. GRAI remote betting and remote betting intermediary licences took effect. From that date an online bookmaker needs a GRAI licence to take bets from people in Ireland.

Betting shops and on-course bookmakers follow later. The Minister told the Dáil on 16 July 2026 that in-person licensing follows from 1 December 2026, and law firm commentary (Matheson, 12 August 2026) reports the same date. Both are secondary sources; we could not confirm the date on a GRAI page.

What this means in practice: a Revenue licence number in a bookmaker’s terms is now out of date. A bookmaker serving Ireland should name its GRAI licence. When an operator’s Irish terms still refer to Revenue, our operator files note it, because it tells you how recently the terms were revised.

Sources: S.I. No. 31 of 2026; Gambling Regulation Act 2024, s. 237; Revenue (22 July 2026); Dáil written answer, 16 July 2026 (via KildareStreet); Matheson, 12 August 2026. Read on 3 October 2026.

Licences in force since 1 July 2026

The GRAI announced on 30 June 2026 that “Remote betting and betting intermediary licences issued by the GRAI… commence today”. These are the two licences that matter for online betting:

• Remote Betting (RB). For bookmakers that take bets online or by phone. Register numbers follow the pattern GRAI-xxxx-RB-26-0001, and the register shows the activity as “Remote Betting”. Every bookmaker in this atlas holds one.
• Remote Betting Intermediary (RBI). For betting exchanges and similar facilities. Numbers follow GRAI-xxxx-RBI-26-0001. The GRAI also states that “prediction markets that provide betting activities fall within the definition of remote betting intermediary”.

A licence covers what it says, and nothing else. Section 67(1) requires betting to be provided by a licensee “in accordance with the gambling licence held”, and the offence carries up to 8 years on indictment (s. 67(4)). A Remote Betting licence does not cover casino games. The GRAI has not opened gaming licences yet: it says applications for further licences, including gaming, “will be opened throughout 2027 and 2028”, and on 3 October 2026 the register held no remote gaming licence. Many bookmakers also run casino sections on the same website; those sections are not covered by the betting licence. The atlas covers sports betting only.

Licences are issued to a company, not a brand. One company can trade under several names — the register’s “Trading Names” field shows them — and the brand on the website may differ from the licensee. That is why every operator file in the atlas starts with the company name and the licence number. Our page on who owns which bookmaker maps the brands to the licensees.

The licences we have read on the register run for three years (for example, issued 1 July 2026 and expiring 30 June 2029). The register can change at any time: a licence can be added, expire or be suspended. The atlas records changes in the register changes log.

Sources: GRAI, commencement of remote betting licences (30 June 2026); GRAI, business-to-consumer licences (updated 16 July 2026); s. 67; GRAI register. Read on 3 October 2026.

What licensees must do for you

S.I. No. 31 of 2026 also commenced most of the customer protection duties in Part 6 of the Act. They apply to every GRAI licensee from 5 February 2026. The table lists the duties that affect an online betting account.

These are legal duties of every licensee. They are not extras that one bookmaker offers and another does not. A bookmaker that “offers deposit limits” is doing what the law requires. What does differ between operators is how the duty is carried out: which limit periods are available, how long an increase takes to apply, how a time-out is set, and whether the details are published before you open an account. That is what the atlas records in the Safer-betting tools part of each operator file, quoting the operator and the date we read the page. Our methodology explains how this feeds into the score.

Age and identity checks come before the account, not before the first withdrawal. The GRAI’s guidance puts it plainly: “A person must be aged 18 or over to be able to apply to open an account”. Detailed rules on verification are in S.I. No. 315 of 2026. A bookmaker can still ask for further documents later, for example before a large withdrawal; our guide to payments and withdrawals covers what operators say they ask for.

The duty to close an account on request (s. 171) is separate from self-exclusion. Closing an account ends the relationship with that licensee. Self-exclusion is a set period during which the operator must not let you bet. Each operator runs its own self-exclusion, because the national register is not operating yet (see below).

Sources: S.I. No. 31 of 2026; Gambling Regulation Act 2024, ss. 110, 156, 158, 164, 165, 169, 171, 174; GRAI Guidance on Relevant Obligations (17 February 2026). Read on 3 October 2026.

Credit cards and credit

Section 165 stops a licensee from accepting payment by credit card and from providing credit for gambling. It has been in force for GRAI licensees since 5 February 2026.

The Irish Bookmakers Association had already agreed a credit card ban for its members in its Safer Gambling Code (September 2021, version 1.2, published on the IBA website). The difference now is that the rule is in law and applies to every licensee, whether or not it belongs to the association.

In practice you pay in with a debit card, a bank transfer or open banking, or a wallet such as Apple Pay or Google Pay. A few operators also list prepaid vouchers for deposits. Which methods each bookmaker in the atlas lists is in its operator file and in our guide to payments and withdrawals.

The ban covers credit, not only cards. A licensee may not let you place a bet and settle for it later. If you find yourself borrowing to bet, MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service), which gives free advice, is on 0818 07 2000 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 20:00; mabs.ie).

Sources: Gambling Regulation Act 2024, s. 165; S.I. No. 31 of 2026; IBA Safer Gambling Code v1.2; GRAI, Get help. Read on 3 October 2026.

Advertising: what applies now and what is coming

Most of the Act’s advertising chapter has not commenced. Two sections that touch advertising are in force, and the advertising code of the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) applies as before.

In force now

• s. 75: unlicensed operators and their advertisers. On an application by the GRAI, the High Court can make orders against a person who “is providing a gambling activity in contravention of Chapter 1 or is advertising such an activity”. The orders can require internet and app-store providers to block access, stop banks accepting or processing payments, freeze assets, and the GRAI can publish an order about advertising on its website (s. 75(4)). Orders can be sought without notice (s. 75(14)). “Court” here means the High Court (s. 75(15)). Today “unlicensed” means betting without a GRAI licence, because the gaming offence in s. 67(2) is not in force.
• s. 111(2): holding out as a licensee. It is an offence for anyone who is not a licensee to present themselves as one. This is one reason every page of this site says that Rivoatlas is not a bookmaker and does not hold a gambling licence.
• s. 110: licence number in advertising. A licensee must include its licence registration number in all business correspondence and advertisements. If an advert for a bookmaker shows no GRAI number, that is worth noting.
• The ASAI Code. Section 10 of the ASAI Code covers gambling marketing. Among other things it requires a message encouraging responsible gambling and a pointer to a source of information (rule 10.10), bans promising winning or showing unrealistic outcomes (rule 10.12), and restricts featuring anyone who is, or seems to be, under 25 (rule 10.17).

Not yet in force

Sections 143 to 151 will set duties for licensees and for advertising “on the licensee's behalf”. The GRAI says these restrictions “shall apply from a date to be confirmed. Licensees will be notified in advance”. Once commenced they will:

• make the licensee responsible for advertising done on its behalf, including by third parties (s. 143);
• allow the GRAI to set required content, such as a statement that children may not take part and where to find help, and the size and placement of that content (s. 144);
• limit gambling adverts on social media and video platforms to people who have subscribed to the licensee’s account (s. 146);
• require consent before adverts are sent by email, text message or phone, with an easy way to opt out (s. 147);
• ban material that appeals to children, encourages excessive gambling, or misleads about the social or financial advantages of gambling (s. 148);
• ban broadcast and on-demand gambling adverts between 5:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. (s. 149);
• ban gambling-branded clothing and merchandise for children, a rule that the GRAI says applies to all people, not only licensees (s. 151).

The industry already has one timing rule of its own. Under the IBA code, members do not run TV betting adverts before 9 p.m. from 5 minutes before a live event begins until 5 minutes after it ends. The rule does not cover horse and greyhound racing, and it is a voluntary code, not law.

Sources: Gambling Regulation Act 2024, ss. 75, 110, 111, 143–151; GRAI Guidance on Advertising Obligations; ASAI Code, section 10; IBA Safer Gambling Code v1.2. Read on 3 October 2026.

Inducements and sponsorship (ss. 157 and 159)

Section 157 deals with inducements. The Act defines an inducement as “a benefit or advantage, the intent or effect of which is… to encourage participation in gambling” (s. 157(8)). Once in force, a licensee will not be allowed to offer an inducement to a particular person or group of people, and offers to the general public will be governed by regulations made by the Minister (s. 157(2)–(4)). The GRAI’s guidance gives two common betting promotions as examples: bets credited without a stake, and promises to refund a losing stake.

S.I. No. 31 of 2026 expressly left s. 157 out (“Chapter 3, other than sections 157 and 159”), and no regulations under s. 157(4) have been made. Commentary in August 2026 reported that no timetable had been announced.

Section 159 will restrict sponsorship. The GRAI’s examples include an “underage sports competition” and a “sports club which has an underage academy”. It is not yet in force either.

The atlas does not list or compare promotional offers at all. Offers change often, their conditions are set by the bookmaker, and they say nothing about whether an operator is licensed or how it treats customers. Our advertising disclosure explains how the site is funded.

Sources: Gambling Regulation Act 2024, ss. 157, 159; S.I. No. 31 of 2026; GRAI Guidance on Relevant Obligations; GRAI Guidance on Advertising Obligations; Matheson, 11 August 2026 (secondary). Read on 3 October 2026.

Not yet in force

These parts of the Act exist on paper but have no effect yet. The Legislation Directory marks each of them “Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(2)”.

The exclusion register is not operating

The National Gambling Exclusion Register will, once commenced, let a person exclude themselves from all licensees with one request. Until then there is no national self-exclusion scheme in Ireland. The GRAI says the obligations relating to the register “will commence on a date to be confirmed”.

What you can use today:

• self-exclusion with each bookmaker, which you have to set up separately with every operator you hold an account with;
• blocking software such as Gamban and BetBlocker, both listed on the GRAI’s protection tools page;
• gambling blocks offered by banks, including Revolut, PTSB, EBS, AIB and Bank of Ireland (in the Revolut app: Profile, Security, Payments, Gambling Block);
• advertising settings in Google and Meta accounts to see fewer gambling adverts.

GAMSTOP is a British scheme. It covers operators licensed in Great Britain, not GRAI licensees, so it is not an Irish self-exclusion tool. Our responsible gambling page has the full list of tools and services.

Casino games remain outside Irish licensing

Because s. 67(2) and the gaming licences are not in force, there is no Irish licence for online casino games yet. The Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 still applies, but it deals with premises. The atlas does not cover casino products.

Sources: Legislation Directory (updated to 17 September 2026); GRAI Guidance on Relevant Obligations; GRAI, protection tools; GAMSTOP terms of use. Read on 3 October 2026.

Other laws that protect bettors

The Gambling Regulation Act is not the only law that applies to a bookmaker’s dealings with you.

• Consumer Protection Act 2007. Enforced by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). It bans misleading commercial practices. Some practices are banned outright, without any test of their effect, including claiming an approval the trader does not have (s. 55(1)(a)), claiming that a product can “facilitate winning in games of chance” (s. 55(1)(e)), and false claims that an offer is available only for a limited time (s. 55(1)(n)).
• Data protection. The GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 cover the personal data a bookmaker holds about you, including identity documents. The supervisory authority in Ireland is the Data Protection Commission.
• Advertising self-regulation. The ASAI Code applies to marketing communications, including paid search adverts. Complaints about an advert go to the ASAI.
• Cheating. Section 74 of the 2024 Act makes it an offence to cheat, including by manipulating an event to which a bet relates (up to 5 years). It has been in force since 5 February 2026.

Our guide to making a complaint explains which of these bodies deals with which kind of problem.

Sources: Consumer Protection Act 2007 (revised); Gambling Regulation Act 2024, s. 74; DPC; ASAI Code. Read on 3 October 2026.

Penalties at a glance

The Act’s penalties are aimed at operators and at people who promote unlicensed gambling, not at bettors. The table shows the maximum consequences for the main offences that are in force, as the Act sets them out.

Summary prosecutions carry lower maximums (for example, a class A fine or up to 12 months under s. 67). We have not listed every penalty in the Act. For the full text, read the sections on the Irish Statute Book.

Sources: Gambling Regulation Act 2024, ss. 67, 74, 75, 111, 200, 206; GRAI Guidance on Advertising Obligations. Read on 3 October 2026.

Timeline

The dates that shaped the switch to the new system. Rows marked “reported” come from secondary sources and are not confirmed on an official page.

What this means when you choose where to bet

The Act gives you a short checklist you can run before opening an account with any bookmaker.

1. Find the company name in the bookmaker’s terms or website footer, then look it up on the GRAI register. The licence number should follow the pattern GRAI-xxxx-RB-26-0001 and the activity should read Remote Betting.
2. Check that the licence is current: compare the expiry date with today’s date.
3. Expect identity and age checks before the account opens. A betting site that skips them is not behaving like a GRAI licensee.
4. Expect debit and bank payment methods only. A site that accepts a credit card from a customer in Ireland is not meeting s. 165.
5. Set a deposit limit before your first deposit. Every licensee has to provide spending limits.
6. Note where the complaints procedure is in the terms, and which outside dispute service, if any, it names.
7. Remember that a betting licence does not cover the casino section of the same site.

Betting costs money and most bets lose. If it has stopped feeling like a choice, talk to someone: GamblingCare National Helpline 1800 936 725 (open around the clock) or the HSE Drugs and Alcohol Helpline 1800 459 459 (Monday to Friday, 9:30 to 17:30). Both are free.

The atlas runs these checks for each bookmaker it lists and records the result, with dates, in the operator files.

How this page is kept up to date

This page reflects the Legislation Directory as updated to 17 September 2026 and GRAI pages read on 3 October 2026. The GRAI register was last checked for the atlas on 4 October 2026. When a section commences, or the GRAI publishes new guidance that changes what is written here, we update the page and the date at the top.

We quote the law in short extracts and give the section number so you can read the source. Where we could not confirm a point on an official page, we say so. If you think something here is wrong or out of date, write to support@rivoatlas.com with the section and the source.

This page is general information, not legal advice. For advice on your own situation, speak to a solicitor.