Ireland’s new gambling regulator takes shape

Ireland’s long-anticipated bid to regulate its gambling industry is finally gaining pace. The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), officially up and running since March 2025, has started laying the groundwork for a new system focused on licensing, consumer protection, and public health.

The GRAI was established under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 and was created in October of last year with the promise of creating a system that prioritises public health and consumer protection. It is now responsible for licensing all forms of gambling in the country, except the national lottery.

First order of business

The first order of business for GRAI is licensing. A pre-registration portal opened in March, inviting gambling operators, suppliers, and charity groups to declare interest. When speaking on the licensing, the CEO said,

We anticipate that we’ll be able to open for betting licenses, both online and on-site, before the end of the year. We’re moving on to online gaming in early 2026, then working our way through the other phases of licensing out to 2027. The final license types will be charities and business-to-business.

Operators will undergo a three-part review. This involves corporate background checks, financial stability assessments, and technical evaluations, such as data protection protocols. These checks will assess the viability of operators’ business models and the integrity of their leadership, along with the resilience of their data systems.

Huge step forward

New advertising restrictions are also expected to come into force, aimed at shielding minors from gambling ads. This is seen as a huge step forward and would bring gambling advertising practices into line with alcohol advertising standards. VIP programs and targeted bonus offers to vulnerable players will be banned, and adults must opt in to receive marketing.

“There’s a whole piece of restrictions in terms of advertising, and there’s a watershed to protect children from gathering advertising between 5:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.,” Anne-Marie Caulfield noted.

New social impact fund

GRAI will be funded through levies paid by licensed operators. Those contributions will also feed into a new social impact fund. This will support education, treatment, and research on gambling-related harm.

The levy rate is still under consultation, but Caulfield mentioned that “the impact on the taxpayers should be zero.”

Greater collaboration

Ireland is not going it alone. In early April, GRAI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Gambling Commission. The agreement lays the groundwork for greater collaboration, and more partnerships across Europe are expected in the coming months.

Caulfield has also confirmed plans for two advisory panels, one for industry stakeholders, and another for individuals with personal experience of gambling harm.

How the new regulator would be funded

A recurring concern during legislative debates was how the new regulator would be funded. Lawmakers have since confirmed that the gambling industry—not taxpayers—will bear the financial burden. While levy rates are still pending, they will feed into a newly created Social Impact Fund.

This fund will support gambling education, public awareness efforts, and treatment services. According to Caulfield, a government consultation will finalise the contribution rate before rollout.

“Ultimately, ministers will decide what percentage is applied to the social impact fund,” the CEO noted.

Attempt to block illegal sites and operators

As with any new regulatory regime, the biggest question is how the regulator will tackle illegal gambling. Like in many other jurisdictions, the Irish regulator will attempt to block illegal sites and operators.

There’ll be software in place to block illegal gambling sites, and partnerships with EU counterparts are in progress. The plan is to work with banks to halt payments to unlicensed platforms and engage with search engines and social media companies to limit their visibility.

Caufiled had this to say on the plan,

I don’t think any one of those solutions will be effective, but we certainly don’t want a flourishing black market in Ireland, So we’ll take in all and any steps we can, as other jurisdictions have successfully done, to ensure that it doesn’t take hold.

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