Law and rules
Licensing in Ireland since 1 July 2026 and what it means for betting apps
Since 1 July 2026 the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) licenses remote betting for Ireland, and betting without its licence is an offence. Our reference read on 6 November 2026 showed 40 business-to-consumer licensees on its register, last updated 20 October 2026. For an app user this means one check: find the operator's licence number and match it on the register.
Editorial team · checked
What changed
- GRAI was set up on 5 March 2025 under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. It issued its first remote betting licences on 1 July 2026.
- Order S.I. 31/2026, in force since 5 February 2026, started licensing, supervision, the credit card ban, the ban on children taking part and player limits (s.164).
- Revenue's remote licences ran until 30 June 2026. GRAI's FAQ says there is no gap period between a Revenue licence ending and a GRAI one starting.
- The Betting Act 1931 and Totalisator Act 1929 were repealed on 5 February 2026.
In short: licensing moved from Revenue to GRAI on 1 July 2026.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 23 October 2024 | Gambling Regulation Act 2024 signed |
| 5 March 2025 | GRAI established |
| 3 February 2026 | S.I. 31/2026 made; in force from 5 February 2026 |
| 9 February 2026 | Applications open for remote betting, remote betting intermediary and in-person betting |
| 30 June 2026 | Revenue remote licences end |
| 1 July 2026 | First GRAI remote betting licences |
| 1 December 2026 | In-person betting licences from GRAI |
| 2027 | Applications for gaming licences, including online casino |
In short: the dates are from the Act, the order and GRAI; 2027 is the regulator's plan.
What the register shows
Our 6 November 2026 reference read gave 40 licensees and 42 licences: 37 remote betting, 4 remote betting intermediary and 1 in-person. The term is three years. The register said "last updated 20 October 2026".
These are starting values. They were not re-read for this page: open the GRAI licence register for today's figure.
In short: a count is only true for its read date.
What an app user sees
- The licensee's name and licence number. The Act requires a copy of the licence and the number on every online platform (display rules).
- A way to set a money limit (s.164) and a ban on credit cards (s.165).
- A link to parental control on the home page (s.174).
- Wins, losses and time spent on the account (s.173(4)).
The licence is held by the operator, not by the app. To verify it, follow the licence check steps.
In short: look for the licensee and number first, then match them on the register.
Betting without a licence
Providing betting for Ireland without a GRAI licence is an offence under s.67(1). Our notes give up to 8 years on conviction on indictment (s.67(4)); re-read the Act before relying on the figure.
Section 75 also lets GRAI go to the High Court against anyone advertising unlicensed betting.
In short: an unlicensed operator is not a legal option.
Not yet in force
The Statute Book table, updated to 21 October 2026, shows these as not commenced:
- Advertising rules, ss.143 to 151.
- Inducements, s.157, and sponsorship, s.159.
- The National Gambling Exclusion Register, ss.44 to 49: planned, not in force.
Orders made after 21 October 2026 may not appear in that table, so this is Not checked for 6 to 7 November.
In short: rules on adverts, inducements and the exclusion register are still to start.
Sources
In short: six primary sources, re-read before any figure is relied on.
18+ only. Gambling can be addictive – play responsibly. Set limits, take breaks and never bet more than you can afford to lose. Free 24/7 support: Gambling Awareness Trust helpline 1800 936 725 · gamblingcare.ie.
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