Ireland Market Report
In early February, the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, signed the Commencement Act to bring certain provisions of
the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 into operation. Tis is being done via a phased approach for the different licensing types.
At the moment, it has opened the door for GRAI’s enforcement and complaint function and for the remote betting (and intermediary) and in-person betting licences.
days before application and the licensing portal requires information such as licensing history in Ireland and abroad, internal policy documents, financial records, and business plans. By March 23 2026 there were 43 companies
that had submitted Notices of Intent, including Betway, Betfair, Hillside (Europe), SBG Sports Li- mited, Interwetten Gaming, and TonyBet. Licensees can only provide services under their
licence requirements, and when applying, they must state the game or games they seek to provide under the licence and the number of gaming ma- chines proposed to be used. In granting the licence, the GRAI may specify the number of machines a licensed operator may provide, which could be different to those applied for. Tere is no limit to the number of B2C licences available under any of the categories. Anyone who had submitted a Bookmakers
Licence application to the Revenue Commissioner prior to February 5th will be processed in line with the previous Betting Act 1931. Application fees for licensing are calculated on a tiered basis and linked to the applicant’s turnover and gambling licence type.
GAMBLING SECTORS Te Irish gambling market includes the National Lottery, bookmakers (on-course and betting
shops), bingo halls, slots, and private members' clubs (casinos). Tere is both landbased and online gambling. Playing the lottery remains the most popular
way to gamble, whilst one in ten people visit a bookmaker or place a bet trackside. Te Irish gambling industry generates around €100m annually in taxes for the government, whilst the market is worth between €6bn and €8bn annually, employing around 8,000 people. It is said more than 49 per cent of adults gamble
at least once a year with an average spend of $269 for me and $89 for women.
BOOKMAKERS Historically, back in 2008, there were more than 1,385 bookmaker shops, which have halved as larger betting firms have consolidated their market position and bought up smaller operations, whilst also coinciding with the recession. Te betting industry pays two per cent betting
duty on turnover on bets over the counter or re- motely, or 25 per cent commission for betting in- termediaries.
In 2019, the betting duty was doubled from one per cent to two per cent and this has been partly blamed for the closure of 18 per cent of shops, even though the betting duty remains one of the lowest in the world.
Tere was a fear there would be a further in-
crease in the duty for the Budget 2026, however the decision was made to keep the rate at two per cent. IBA’s Chairperson Sharon Byrne said: “Te
decision not to further increase the two per cent was welcome. Te retail betting sector continues to face very significant commercial pressure, driven by a high turnover tax, spiralling operating costs, and the implementation of an entirely new regulatory framework. “Operators are now preparing for substantial
additional compliance obligations, new licensing fees, and the introduction of further regulatory levies, the full cost and practical impact of which are not yet fully known. In that context, stability in taxation policy is critically important. “Further increases would risk accelerating shop
closures, undermining employment in towns and villages, and strengthening the position of black- market operators - ultimately weakening customer protections and the integrity of the regulated market. “Protecting the viability of legitimate licensed
operators, particularly at a time of regulatory transition and financial uncertainty, should remain a key policy consideration.” Tere was, however, an announcement that pool betting duty would increase from one to
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