Applications for betting licences have opened in Ireland, and the expectations being placed on operators and players under the new Gambling Regulation Act are becoming clear. The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland seems determined to provide a stricter environment for online betting than has previously been the case.

The landscape for online betting in Ireland is due to undergo major change. The new Gambling Regulation Act will modernise and replace the regulatory framework that is, in some cases, almost a century old. As digital gambling platforms in the country expanded rapidly, old legislation was, as many critics have pointed out, extremely outdated and simply unable to keep up. The new regulations aim to remedy this, and have established the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) to oversee regulation and compliance.

Earlier this year, applications for operator licences under the new regulations were opened up by the GRAI, and operators and players are beginning to get a sense of what exactly the new gambling environment will look like under GRAI oversight. The new system looks to be one in which compliance requirements, player protection rules and operator oversight will all be much stronger. But the Irish market is a lucrative one, and it is likely that operators will continue to offer attractive 20€ no deposit bonus offers to players while they dance to the tune the GRAI sets.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the Irish gambling laws that are being reformed and what the application process for betting licences looks like.

A Long-Awaited Regulatory Reform

For a long time, the gambling sector in Ireland has been functioning under regulations that date back decades, if not longer. This means that they were created before online gambling and mobile betting were possible. As digital betting and gaming platforms have taken off in the country over the last decade and a half, while players have had access to hefty 50 Euros no deposit bonus offers, the pressure has been mounting for modernising reform to be applied to this market.

The answer to this pressure is the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, which is the foundation on which the GRAI is built. From now on, the GRAI has the responsibility to regulate and oversee all aspects of the gaming, lotteries and betting market in Ireland. Since 2024, the GRAI has been slowly rolling out changes to various aspects of player protections, compliance and enforcement, advertising, and licensing across the Irish gambling market.

At present, the focus is on rolling out new betting licences for online operators, which are due to come into effect in 2027. These licences will soon be necessary for operators to be able to legally offer their services to Irish residents.

What do the New Betting Licences Entail?

The new betting licences that the GRAI is requiring operators to acquire are designed to increase the levels of accountability and transparency that the Irish gambling sector displays. Both online and retail betting operations are expected to apply and abide by the new licensing regulations.

Among other things, operators are expected to provide key pieces of information as part of the licensing process, such as:

• Their financial stability.
• What responsible gambling measures they utilise.
• The anti-money-laundering processes they are using.
• What security and technical systems their platform uses.
• What measures for the protection of player funds they have.
• Detailed corporate ownership structure information.

It is obvious from these requirements that the GRAI is following the prevailing global trend in iGaming regulation. The focus in Europe, and globally, is on stronger player protections, a greater emphasis on reducing the potential for gambling harm and financial competence from gambling operators.

What Exactly Does the Application Process Entail?

Operators that want to acquire a licence to provide services under the new regulations have to undergo a multi-stage assessment process. They must provide evidence that they are operationally compliant with GRAI regulations, as well as disclose corporate details.

The process is likely to involve the following.

Providing Corporate Information

All sorts of detailed corporate information will be required, such as ownership details and internal corporate structures. The idea is that the GRAI wants to know who is responsible for the gambling operations.

A Financial Assessment

Operators will need to prove that they have sufficient funds to service the Irish market. In essence, they will need to be able to put their money where their mouth is.

Reviews of Technical Compliance

The types of gaming systems, cybersecurity protections and other technical information will undergo review to ensure it is compliant with GRAI requirements.

Compliance with Marketing and Advertising Rules

Operators will need to demonstrate that their advertising and marketing practices are in line with the new GRAI regulations in order to acquire a licence.

Policies Around Responsible Gambling

There is a strong focus from the GRAI on player protections and responsible gambling initiatives. Operators will need to display that they have included a number of modern responsible gambling measures.

Final Thoughts

The new Irish online gambling market, under the oversight of the GRAI, looks to be one that is much stricter and difficult for operators to navigate. Despite this, it is expected that most of the big operators in the market will follow the requirements needed to acquire a licence and remain active. Bettors need not fear; they will still be able to look for expert football tips and place wagers as they always have, they’ll just be doing so while benefiting from better regulatory protections.