Everything New on Irish Betting Sites

A new framework for gambling in Ireland has been needed for many years. The old system relied heavily on the Betting Act 1931, which was initially designed for street-corner bookmakers and racecourse betting! Attempts to modernise the legislation were made as the internet became more dominant and online gambling became possible, most notably with the Betting (Amendment) Act in 2015. This brought online bookmakers under the same licensing framework as land-based bookmakers and, to some extent, modernised the gambling laws.

However, given that the industry still relied on the original (and outdated) laws, inadequacies in the framework persisted, especially regarding how betting companies obtained licenses. In short, the outdated system left a murky set of rules that just weren’t fit for purpose.

And so, after many years of debate and back and forth, a new regulatory framework was introduced and signed into law in October 2024 - the Gambling Regulation Act 2024.

Aside from the need to modernise the industry, addressing Ireland’s gambling problem was another major factor in the introduction of a new framework. It’s believed that about 1 in 30 adults in Ireland suffers from problem gambling, according to research by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). And with research also indicating that gambling addictions tend to begin in childhood, the need to limit the exposure children have to gambling was a further reason for change.

The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 established a new regulator - the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) - to oversee all gambling, gaming, betting and lottery activities. The GRAI came into force in March 2025.

In addition to establishing a new regulator, the new legislation will impose restrictions on advertising and marketing (including social media), introduce safer gambling measures and a Social Impact Fund, and bring a streamlined, simplified licensing system for bookmakers.

Here’s a breakdown of the key changes:

• A watershed prohibiting gambling advertisements on TV, radio and on-demand services will be in place between 05:30 am and 9:00 pm.
• A new licensing system which requires all remote operators to comply with GRAI regulations, or face financial penalties (up to €20 million or 10% of turnover)
• A Social Impact Fund will be established to support research, awareness, and treatment of compulsive gambling, with operators required to contribute.
• Operators will no longer be able to offer inducements such as free bets or loyalty schemes to specific individuals or groups.
• A National Gambling Exclusion Register will be created to allow Irish players to ban themselves from online gambling.
• A ban on the use of credit cards for gambling, and ATMS will also be banned from physical gambling locations.

The new licensing system is being rolled out as we speak. The window for remote operators and intermediaries to acquire a new licence under the GRAI is open until 1st July, having commenced in February.

Aside from that, though, many of the legislative measures have yet to be implemented.

While changes to your everyday betting are unlikely, you may begin to see some betting companies request details to verify your identity again, as we highlighted here on BetVictor, and as is asked of Irish customers on William Hill too. This is a requirement that all operators must enforce to comply with the new regulatory requirements and acquire a new license.

You may also see some operators pause activity in Ireland, i.e make their sportsbook inaccessible for Irish punters, while they get up to speed with what’s required of them under the new rules.