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Legality of bets, lotteries, casino clubs
1) General regulation structure
The Irish gambling system is traditionally divided into three areas:1. Betting - regulated by the Betting Act 1931 and its 2015 amendments;
2. Games and lotteries (gaming & lotteries) - managed by Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 (as amended 2019/2020);
3. Casinos and slot machines - before the reform of 2024 did not have an official licensing regime and existed in the gray zone as private clubs.
Now there is a transition to a single regulator - the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), which is gradually introducing new licenses for all segments.
2) Rates: Legal and licensed
Rates are the most established and legal form of excitement in Ireland.
All bookmakers and online platforms are required to have a license under Betting Act 1931 (as amended in 2015).
Online and offline betting on sports, horse racing, political events, virtual disciplines are allowed.
Licenses are issued to Revenue Commissioners, who serve as the tax and supervisory authority until the full transition to GRAI.
The minimum age of a player is 18 years.
Since 2015, remote bookmakers and betting exchanges have been legalized, obliged to pay taxes and comply with the rules of a responsible game.
Bottom line: rates are legal, licensed, and are the most mature segment of the market.
3) Lotteries: allowed but strictly limited
Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 (as amended by Amendment Act 2019) makes lotteries legal subject to a number of conditions:- Permit or license issued by the Garda Síochána (police) or the court is required - depending on the scale.
- All lotteries must have a public benefit purpose (charity, cultural or sports projects).
- There are limits on prize funds and ticket prices.
- The state-owned National Lottery operates under a separate law (National Lottery Act 2013) and has an exclusive license.
- Private or commercial lotteries without permission are considered against the law.
Bottom line: lotteries are allowed, but only if there is official permission and a public purpose.
4) Casinos and slot machines: "private clubs" outside the license system
Ireland has no officially licensed casinos.
The Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 prohibits commercial casinos and slot machines outside of permits.
However, in practice, there are private "members-only" casino clubs that register as limited membership societies rather than commercial operators.
These clubs require a membership card, restrict entry "by invitation," and do not advertise themselves as public casinos.
They offer board games (roulette, poker, blackjack) and machines, but formally operate in a legal vacuum.
The state "tolerates" their existence until the new GRAI licensing system comes into force.
Bottom line: casino clubs are not illegal, but they are not licensed either - they work as private associations until the final launch of the new regime.
5) Online gambling: partially legalized
Online bookmakers and exchanges (Betfair, BoyleSports, Paddy Power, etc.) operate legally under the Betting (Amendment) Act 2015 licenses.
Online casinos and slots do not have a national licensing regime, so they work through offshore licenses (Malta, Gibraltar, Curacao).
At the same time, the law does not prohibit players from using such platforms if they comply with age and financial restrictions.
In 2025-2026 it is planned to introduce national licenses for online games through GRAI.
Bottom line: online betting is legal, online casinos are in the transition zone, regulation is expected after 2025.
6) What will change with the launch of GRAI (2025-2027)
The new regulator creates a single market with transparent licenses:- All operators (online and offline) will receive uniform types of licenses.
- Casinos and slot machines will leave the "gray zone."
- A national register of self-exclusion, a ban on credit cards and a unified advertising control system are being introduced.
- GRAI will be able to close unlicensed sites and issue orders to providers.
7) Brief table of legality
Bottom line:
- Ireland has long lived on a dual model - legal bets and lotteries, but "shadow" casinos. The creation of GRAI in 2025 will end this gap: all forms of gambling will be regulated by a single law and license system. As a result, the country will move from historical "private tolerance" to a modern, transparent and consumer-friendly gambling industry.