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Licence, law and safety
A betting app is licensed through its operator. You check the licensee name and licence number in the app, find that entry on the register of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), and match the licence type and dates. No entry means no deposit. Casino apps have no GRAI licence yet.
Editorial team · checked
What a GRAI licence is
- GRAI was created on 5 March 2025 under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024.
- The first remote betting licences started on 1 July 2026.
- A licence runs for 3 years.
- Types in the register: RB (remote betting), RBI (remote betting intermediary, such as an exchange) and IPB (in-person betting).
- Betting without a licence is an offence (s.67(1)).
In short: the licence sits with the operator and the register is the proof.
The register and what to match
The register is on the GRAI site. Filter by "Business to Consumer" and search by name.
- Our starting snapshot shows 40 business-to-consumer records. The page said "last updated 20 October 2026" when we read it on 6 November 2026. We have not re-read it in this build.
- Match Licence Number, Licence Activity, Issue Date, Expiry Date and Trading Names.
- The Domain Names field was empty in every record we read. So match the licence number that the operator shows.
- The licensee must show its licence copy and number on each online platform (s.110(1)(a)(ii)).
In short: match number, type and dates, and re-read the register on the day.
What the law already requires
| Rule | Section | Status on 21 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Remote betting needs a GRAI licence | s.67(1) | In force |
| Licence number shown on each online platform | s.110(1)(a)(ii) | In force since 5 February 2026 |
| No participation under 18; age and identity checked before an account opens | ss.158, 169 | In force since 5 February 2026 |
| Player can set a money limit | s.164 | In force since 5 February 2026 |
| Ban on credit cards | s.165 | In force since 5 February 2026 |
| Advertising rules | ss.143–151 | Not yet commenced |
| Rules on inducements | s.157 | Not yet commenced |
| National Gambling Exclusion Register | ss.44–49 | Not yet commenced |
Orders made after 21 October 2026 may not be in that table. Re-read it before you rely on a row.
In short: licensing and age rules apply now; advertising and exclusion-register rules do not yet.
The old Revenue list
Remote licences issued by Revenue ran until 30 June 2026, according to the Minister's answer of 13 October 2026. After 1 July 2026 the GRAI register is the place to look.
Read is the old Revenue bookmaker list still proof of a licence.
In short: an old list is not a licence check.
Six pages to read first
- How to check a betting app's licence: five steps on the register.
- Seven checks before you install: a checklist.
- Are betting apps safe, and how do you spot a fake: what a licence does not tell you.
- Licensing since 1 July 2026: the regime in outline.
- The Revenue list: why it no longer proves a licence.
- UK apps in Ireland: licence and storefront questions.
In short: start with page 1, then work down.
Help if betting is a worry
You must be 18 or over. Free 24/7 support: 1800 936 725 · gamblingcare.ie. More lines are on responsible gambling.
In short: support is free and open at any hour.
How we checked
Facts on this page come from the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, the Statute Book table, GRAI pages and a Dáil answer. The register itself was not re-read in this build, so each count shows its read date.
In short: sources are named and the register read date is shown.
6 pages
In this section
- 01 How to check a betting app's licence, step by step Five steps on the GRAI register.
- 02 Seven checks before you install a betting app A checklist to run before the first download.
- 03 Are betting apps safe to use in Ireland, and how do you spot a fake? What a licence does and does not tell you.
- 04 Licensing in Ireland since 1 July 2026 What the new regime means for betting apps.
- 05 Is the old Revenue bookmaker list still proof of a licence? Why the list does not prove a licence after 30 June 2026.
- 06 Is a UK betting app OK to use in Ireland? Licence and storefront questions for UK apps.
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