Online Gambling Laws and Regulations in Ireland
Casino-style games were long regulated by the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 until the Betting (Amendment) 2015 was formed. The amendment heavily focused on licensing laws and taxation. The G&L Acts also apply to gambling products and are, therefore, equally applicable to online gambling.
As the Betting Acts were updated in 2015, it now means that a licence is required for any operators wanting to provide remote bookmaking or remote betting to customers in Ireland. As long as the operator holds any of three distinctive licences, they can operate in Ireland.
There are three different types of licenses:
- one for retail bookmakers
- one for operators who are offering a remote betting service to Irish players, and
- one for operators who facilitate players in Ireland to make bets
Ultimately though, the Irish Revenue Commissioners actively police the market to ensure the right amount of tax is being remitted. And, when it comes to bookmakers, they check that the appropriate licenses are in place.
Gambling products are also often provided to Irish players by operators who hold other reputable licenses like the one from the UK Gambling Commission or the Malta Gaming Authority. Betting, which includes sports and horse racing, is regulated by the Revenue Commissioners.
All casinos Ireland listed at AskGamblers are licensed and safe to play at.

Is Online Gambling in Ireland Legal?
Online gambling in Ireland is perfectly legal and includes online casinos, sports betting, daily fantasy, lotteries and online poker.
Unlike most countries, Ireland has implemented gambling regulation allowing Irish citizens to engage in online gambling through legally licensed domestic and offshore sites.
Suppose you are an Irish citizen or a visitor to the country. In that case, the key to ensuring your online gambling stays on the legal side is to visit online gambling destinations that guarantee the casinos displayed are legally licensed, regulated and certified. You can do so at AskGamblers.
AskGamblers updates and adds new casinos to our directory regularly, so make sure you keep revisiting this page to find a casino online in Ireland that is right for you, whether you are a beginner or a pro player.
Authorities that Regulate Online Gambling in Ireland
Intending to comprehensively reform the regulation of gambling activities and provide for an independent Gambling Regulator, substantial work was conducted to draft a Gambling Bill.
Ireland's Dept of Justice reported, "The Department's Statement of Strategy 2021-2023 set out the commitment to establish a gambling regulator focused on public safety and wellbeing, covering gambling online and in person, and the powers to regulate advertising, gambling websites and apps".
- The Betting (Amendment) Act 2015 - amends the Betting Act 1931 and provides for the licensing of online bookmakers and betting intermediaries for the first time
- Revenue Commissioners - Issues all betting licences
- The Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956–2003 - provides a controlled outlet for people who wish to gamble and permits the following forms of gambling:
- Lotteries, excluding lotteries covered by the National Lottery Act 2013
- Gaming* in a minimal form
- The Office of Gambling Control Ireland (OGCI)
- The Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 2019
- The Casino Regulation Committee
*Gaming is any form of playing a game (either of skill or chance) for money.
Are Land-Based Casinos Allowed in Ireland?
Initially, the Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1956 prohibited all forms of gambling, the only exception being lotteries run by charities. Even so, thanks to distinct loopholes, private members' clubs were allowed to operate as casinos.
With the 2013 Gambling Control Bill implementation, the legal situation of land-based gambling in Ireland notably changed.
Today, all of Ireland's casinos require memberships to enter and play. You can become a long-term member or pay a smaller "daily membership" fee.
Unfortunately, the Irish Gambling Control Bill 2018 limits the number of brick-and-mortars to 40 licenses for the entire country at any one time, where each casino is limited to operating a maximum of 15 tables and 25 gaming machines.
The legal minimum age to gamble at Irish land-based casinos is 18 and up, except for a few venues set to 21+.
Biggest gambling brands in Ireland:
- PaddyPower – operates some of the most popular online and land-based services
- The Fitzwilliam Casino and Card Club – a small casino located in the Dublin centre
- Boyle Sports – one of Ireland's largest independent bookmakers
- 4 Kings Casino and Card Club – Ireland's most famous privately-owned casino club
- Macau Casino Complex – Located in Cork, known for a wide variety of games on offer
Is It Safe to Gamble at an Online Casino in Ireland?
Yes, gambling in Ireland is perfectly safe and legal. Even so, you must play at reputable casinos with a proven track record of regular payouts, a quality assortment of software and games, responsible customer service, SSL encryption and other vital factors.
It is also essential to stay within the law when going forward with your gambling activities. Otherwise, the penalties for gambling-related crimes are stringent:
- Money Laundering – Designated persons for money laundering or anyone even remotely involved, could be incarcerated for up to 14 years
- Underage gambling – Minors caught gambling risk being fined up to £100
- Tax-Evasion – Results in court action. The Revenue performs random audits to prevent and discourage this practice
The Best Online Casinos that Accept Irish Players
At AskGamblers, you can find the best online casinos in Ireland, as every online platform displayed here is checked for safety and security. Please browse through our offer to enjoy the most extensive offer of Irish online casinos.
What's excellent about gambling on AskGamblers is that you'll immediately, upon login, be able to see casinos that accept players from Ireland as we geo-filter the players who visit our website.
So, if a casino restricts players from Ireland, don't worry - we have already filtered them out of this page, not to cause any confusion.
How Irish Online Casino Reviews Work?
Online casino reviews concerning Ireland casinos are unbiased representations of that gambling platform.
They combine safety and fairness, software quality, game variety, customer service quality, and similar, with all Irish online casinos checked by the AskGamblers team via a CasinoRank. This specific algorithm ranks a casino for quality in many aspects.
To find out more about the casinos you are eyeing, read the AskGamblers reviews displayed as well as players' reviews before opting for your next iGaming destination.
Best Casinos in Ireland according to CasinoRank
If you are looking for the best online casinos in Ireland, you are in the right place.
All of the casino reviews displayed here are safe and tested for safety and fairness and, most importantly - filtered through CasinoRank, our specialised rating system.
CasinoRank is a unique algorithm that grades a casino impartially based on its software diversity, bonus offers, customer service quality, and other relevant factors that make a casino.
Best Casino Irelands Ranked by the Players
To help you find the best iGaming destinations available to players from Ireland, we have made a selection of online casinos worth your time and attention.
The underlying base of every online casino review displayed on AskGamblers is unbiased players' opinions, featuring parameters like the mobile-friendliness, range of bonuses available, game assortment, real-money experience for Irish players, casino rewards and VIP options paired with player satisfaction in terms of casino security.
AskGamblers includes the players' perspective in virtually every review we publish, as their opinions are highly valued from where we stand.
Popular Online Casinos in Ireland
Whether veterans or new players, gamblers have standards they want to meet in choosing an online casino.
In addressing parameters the Irish players primarily focus on, it shows they mainly check the game variety of a casino, fairness and safety, software choice, the types of bonuses on offer, promotions and programs available, and the casino's on-the-go availability.
New Online Casinos in Ireland
Online gambling in Ireland is pretty popular, so we make sure we regularly update our online casino lists with the newest online casinos on the market.
We consider everything from payment methods, currencies, and languages to pending times and withdrawal timeframes in listing the best and newest Irish online casinos.
Check our directory for the best new online casinos accepting players from Ireland.
Mobile Casinos in Ireland
Playing on the go is one of the most popular gambling forms, with almost every online casino today sporting a mobile version. Most mobile casinos can be played through a compatible mobile browser without a download or an app.
They are usually equally available for both Android and Apple users.
If you like your gambling on the go, check out the AskGamblers list of mobile casinos in Ireland displayed on our website.
Instant-Play & Download Casinos in Ireland
The two main options for accessing an online casino are instant-play or download casinos.
While download casinos are getting redundant with the increase of online-lined life, they are known to run faster and give stability to the player. Instant-play online casinos allow 24/7 access to your favourite games and require no download.
If you are from Ireland, you can access both download casinos Ireland and instant-play casinos IR.
Irish Casinos Available in "Demo" or "Real" Mode
The casinos listed on the AskGamblers website allow players to access online casinos in Ireland in both fun mode and for real.
We recommend playing in the fun mode for those of you who don't have extensive gambling or no experience. This should allow you to test the waters of your chosen casino then play for real if you decide everything in that casino works for you.
When you decide to play for real at an Irish online casino, set up an account there, deposit the required amount, and start playing!
Important Details to Consider When Choosing an Irish Online Casino
The Irish online casinos listed on our website are all top Ireland picks!
Some of the casinos Irelandcasinos Irelands on here will have an incredible gambling portfolio; others will feature fantastic bonuses, fast payout times or thousands of online slots - so you'll never feel like you've got not enough options to play and enjoy.
Still, checking the casino's terms and conditions before opting for an Irish online casino is essential, as understanding them can either make or break your overall gameplay experience.
Which Casino Bonuses Can You Claim in Ireland?
When it comes to casino bonuses in Ireland, whether you are a high or a low roller, having generous welcome bonuses at your disposal is vital to every player. While most operators look to compete in the market by offering a special welcome promotion, they can't always provide the players with the best conditions.
Although the bonus amount is essential, you must always check if the corresponding wagering conditions are convenient for you - especially if you plan to make a significant deposit.
Be careful and always read bonus terms and conditions, as it is not unlikely for Irish online casinos to offer generous bonuses tied to almost-impossible-to-complete wagering requirements.
Most Popular Casino Software in Ireland
For a gambling site to establish trust with players, it's essential to offer safe, stable providers and provide great bonuses.
Most online casinos in Ireland and online casinos generally provide explicit software information in the footer of their homepage or under the terms and conditions.
Alternatively, the casino's customer support should be open to giving you any additional software information you may require.
We have listed the best gambling software presently used in Ireland:
- OpenBet, BetConstruct (Sports Betting)
- Microgaming, Playtech (Online Casino)
- Netset, GAN Software (Daily Fantasy)
- iPoker, Playtech (Online Poker)
- Kootac, Playtech (Online Lotto)
Payment Options at Online Casinos in Ireland
When choosing between Ireland's top online casinos, it is of extreme importance to consider a casino's available payment options. One thing to always keep in mind is to check both the casino's deposit methods and available withdrawal options, as oftentimes they will not be an exact match. That means that, while a casino may feature a wide variety of deposit options, it might only feature a handful of withdrawal methods.

Casino Deposit Methods Available in Ireland
Most gambling sites in Ireland accept a long list of payment methods that typically pose no problem in terms of player deposits and withdrawals. Still, despite multiple options available, players should go for the safest one.
Right now, among the safest and fastest payment methods are e-wallets.
Here's the latest information on all payment methods available on gambling sites in Ireland:
e-Wallets:
- Neteller
- PayPal
- Skrill
- ecoPayz
Credit/Debit Cards:
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Visa Electron
Bank Transfers:
- Wire Transfer
- Instant Banking
- Bank Transfer
Other:
- Trustly
- ApplePay
- EntroPay
- PaySafeCard
Online Casinos That Accept Irish Currency
As Ireland uses Euro as their official currency, players from Ireland can access any online casino that accepts this currency - which is virtually any casino out there.
Northern Ireland, being part of the United Kingdom, uses the British pound sterling (£), so online casinos that allow this currency are open for Irish players.
Which Online Casino Games Can You Play in Ireland?
With the official implementation of the Betting (Amendment) Act, online gambling was officially legalised in Ireland, making virtually all forms of online gambling in Ireland available and legal to play.
Today, Irish players can enjoy everything from online slots and online poker to sports betting, bingo, keno, and daily fantasy.
Online Slots in Ireland
Online slots are among the most popular online games in Ireland, with players having access to all Irish online casinos.
The slots players can find in their gambling platforms are usually signed by Ireland's favourite software providers that are visually and auditorily pleasing; they offer quality, and fairness and keep the players interested. The best online casinos in Ireland offer a variety of casino games from top software providers, including, but not limited to NetEnt, Playtech, Games Global, and numerous others.
Check out the AskGamblers website for the latest online slot releases in Ireland.
Table and Card Games in Ireland
Poker has a long-standing tradition for being one of Ireland's most popular card games, especially in land-based casinos.
With the 2015 online gambling legislation going live, plenty of online casinos got launched, and online poker grabbed the momentum.
At this time, plenty of licensed Irish gambling sites offer poker rooms to the local residents. To have the best gaming experience, look for operators that provide a wide range of poker games and rooms, high-security standards, and generous promotions.
Lottery and Bingo in Ireland
Along with bingo, the lottery in Ireland is one of the most accessible and loved games of chance on the Emerald Isle. On top of that, the lotto is also available for online play ever since the National Lottery has launched its fully functional online version.
As, over the years, the players have expressed interest in trying their luck across international lotteries, Ireland has also launched legal alternative licensed lottery sites in the country.
Many offer participation in EuroJackpot and MegaMillions, some of the most popular lottery games in the world.
Sports Betting in Ireland
Sports betting is rather popular in Ireland, with over 1,000 betting shops currently available throughout the country.
With a long list of online Irish and international bookmakers operating in the country, players have plenty of options to choose from and keep themselves entertained.
Although most sports betting operators offer similar betting options and leagues, some sites rely on lucrative welcome offers and better-performing gambling platforms.
History of Gambling in Ireland
Gambling enjoys a long tradition in Ireland, with its laws going way back to the mid-1980s. Thanks to the Betting Act of 1854, the regulation of gambling in the region started to form, giving players more security and protection.
Here's a timeline of Irish gambling developments:
- 1800-1900: Gambling activities in Ireland are starting to take root with horse racing, attracting many players' interest.
- 1922: The Irish Free State gets established as the country decides to regulate the constantly-growing betting industry.
- 1926: The first Betting Act comes into power, addressing the unregulated horse racing industry and obliging anyone to hold a government-issued licence if they take bets on sports events.
- 1931: A revision of the Act obliges anyone interested in taking sports bets to hold a licence from the government.
- 1956: The Gaming and Lotteries Act is officially introduced, prohibiting casinos from operating in Ireland but allowing charitable lotteries. A "loophole" in the legislation allowed "private members" clubs to operate as casinos.
- 1988: PaddyPower, the now-famous bookmaker, gets founded in Dublin.
- 2013: The Gambling Control Bill gets published by the Irish government, legalising all forms of gambling.
- 2015: The Betting (Amendment) Act licenses and regulates online gambling, obliging all operators to hold a licence issued by the government and become subjects of local taxes.
Future Online Gambling Trends in Ireland
As the online casino scene is getting more technologically advanced, Ireland's online casino and gambling industry needs modern rules.
The provisions expected include a regulatory body to supervise and license the gambling Industry—the gambling, betting, and lottery industry with the same supply services against health-related gambling problems.
The goal is to enable more entertainment for players with fat registration bonuses, many payment solutions providers, a fast response rate by operators to players' complaints, better user experiences on many online gambling sites, and lowering the wagering requirements for no deposit bonuses.
Recent government pronouncements say that the "interim Gaming and Lotteries Act,' was passed, instituting the framework for wholesale reforms of the country's gambling Act in 2021.
Explore/Discover the Best Online Casinos in Ireland
The online casino directory displayed on our website is designed to navigate you towards the best Irish online casinos that offer great deposit and withdrawal options, feature the most popular and reputable software providers, games, and other factors.
As we update our portfolio of casinos in Ireland regularly, check us out regularly for fresh casino updates and you're sure to find top online casinos right here on this page.
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