Sports Betting Ireland

Best Betting Sites for Irish Players Rated by Industry Experts 

Analysing all the key features of a betting site and deciding how well each bookie performs for each metric is a long, hard and arduous job that requires great levels of knowledge and experience. 

Thankfully for you, our team of industry experts here at AskGamblers have all the time, patience and experience to do just that. After all, it’s a service we’ve been providing for years. 

And it’s not just about deciding how good a particular bookie is in general terms. Rather, it’s about evaluating how good a sportsbook is specifically for Irish customers, as that’s what we’re concerned with here. 

For example, does the betting site have all the Irish sports that the rest of the world isn’t that interested in, but are of paramount importance to Irish punters? Does the site have payment methods that are popular and widely used by Irish players? 

This page and its content aim to give you the full picture as regards online betting sites in Ireland only, and by the end of it, you’ll be perfectly positioned to decide which site or sites are just right for you.   

How We Rate Ireland Betting Sites 

In theory, there are dozens of different factors to consider at any given sports betting site in Ireland. But simply put, some are far more important than others, and so rather than covering everything in minor detail, we go into greater detail as regards the eight categories, we consider the ones that matter the most.  

Sportsbook’s Licence

One of the elements of the recent legislation is that there will be three different types of betting licenses that companies can apply for, depending on the type of business the company engages in. For example, there’s a distinction between being a B2B business and a B2C one, so the licence the company must hold will reflect that. Whereas it’s not hugely important to you how these licences work, it’s extremely important that the betting site holds the necessary licence.

The Irish government plans on clamping down on betting operators accepting Irish customers who operate without a licence with big fines, or worse, awaiting them. So, we’ll only recommend sites that at the time of writing, hold the required licence, ensuring it’s a safe and regulated site. 

Reputation

In addition to providing our own betting site reviews, we also encourage players to do the same, while our Customer Complaints process allows us to keep tabs on certain sites that players haven’t been happy with for whatever reason. Combining the two, we have a good idea of the overall reputation of a site in the eyes of players, who, after all, should know better than anyone what their experience has been like.  

Security

Security is of paramount importance and includes such things as your money and data being secure, and the site having measures in place to protect itself against attacks from hackers. It also includes being able to withdraw your funds whenever you want rather than having to endure overly complicated KYC checks and lengthy delays when it comes to actually getting your money out.  

Betting Bonuses and Promotions

The general rule here is that betting sites should provide a good welcome package, followed by offering frequent and varied betting bonuses that offer good value to their customers. However, this is precisely the sort of area where the particular circumstances of the betting sites operating in Ireland make a big difference and need to be considered. In the near future, free bets and VIP programs will be banned at

Ireland betting sites (more on that in the section on the future of online betting in Ireland below), meaning that sites not offering them aren’t failing to provide something important that customers want. Quite the opposite: it’s a sign that they’re fully compliant with the terms of their license. 

Number of Sports and Markets

The more sports the site offers betting on, the better. But it’s also worth considering which sports those are. They need to include all the sports that Irish customers really want to bet on.  

Payment Options

Another example of where having a big choice is in the interests of the customer but where having the right options is also vital. In this case, the payment options on offer are ones that Irish customers like to use.    

Betting Odds

The odds offered across all the different markets need to be, at the very least, similar to what their rivals are offering. Bonus points are on offer if they consistently lay odds that are higher than the market average.  

Customer Support

This is a very underrated but very important part of evaluating a betting site. Customer Support agents need to be helpful and knowledgeable when it comes to helping you with any issues and you should be able to reach them via different methods such as phone, Live Chat, e-mail and social media.

How to Choose a Top Ireland Betting Site Based on Your Betting Preferences  

For the most part, the sports that Irish customers want to bet on are quite similar to those of UK customers.  

So, the likes of football, golf, snooker, horseracing and greyhound racing. But just like UK customers will want to bet on UK horseracing, greyhound racing and different football leagues from England, Scotland and Wales, Irish customers want to bet on their own racing and football at betting sites in Ireland.  

So, it follows that the site should offer Irish leagues, competitions and races, not just the more general stuff like Premier League or Champions League football or the same UK racing events that UK punters want. Check that’s the case in our reviews before deciding if the site is in line with your own betting preferences. 

Then there’s the case of GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) sports. The two most popular ones- Gaelic football and hurling - are almost unknown outside Ireland but extremely popular in Ireland, a deep part of the country’s history and culture. They’re also very popular to bet on, so if you’re a fan of them, you’ll want to see them offered.

Finally, the likes of Bet Builders, accas, and the Best Odds Guaranteed promise are well-liked by Irish customers, so you’ll want to bet at a sports betting site in Ireland that’s good for those. 

How Is Sports Betting Regulated in Ireland? 

Ireland has a long history when it comes to sports betting and was one of the first countries to truly embrace it when it went online in the late 90s. The Betting Amendment Act of 2015 and, more recently, the (2022) Gambling Regulation Bill both went a long way to fully regulating the activities of betting sites in Ireland, a positive move for all stakeholders that’s resulted in Irish customers having a great deal of choice when it comes to playing at overseas and Ireland betting sites that are perfectly legal and regulated. 

As per the legislation, all betting sites operating in Ireland need to have one of three betting licences, and fines will be handed out to sites trying to operate without one. 

The regulatory framework focuses on consumer protection, responsible gambling, and fair play. 

Presently, the oversight of gambling activities follows a fragmented governance structure, weaving through various government entities such as the Department of Justice and Equality, the Irish Tax Authority's Revenue Commissioners, and the District Courts. For example, the Irish Revenue Commissioners are responsible for overseeing licensing and compliance.

This intricate network of regulatory channels reflects the multifaceted approach adopted by Ireland in managing and supervising the diverse aspects of the gambling landscape.

However, the new Gambling Regulation Bill passed in late 2022 aims to make further changes, including setting up the Gambling Regulatory Authority as the nation’s regulator. 

The Bill has made plenty of recommendations that are likely to be implemented in the future. Given most haven’t happened yet, we’ll discuss those at the end of the article under the future of online betting in Ireland.    

How Often Do We Add New Ireland Betting Sites? 

Ireland may be a small country in terms of population, but its rich history when it comes to sports betting and the ongoing appetite for the Irish to wager on their favourite sports make it an important and valuable market.

So, it should come as no surprise that existing betting sites open for business elsewhere will continue to want to enter the Irish market by obtaining a licence to operate there. 

As soon as we here at AskGamblers are aware that they have a licence and are doing things by the book, we’ll go through the usual process of reviewing the site and giving it a score so you know what we think of it in general terms and what its areas of strength and weakness are. 

So, it’s not set in stone as to when we add new Ireland betting sites to our list, but rather, it's a case of waiting for new sites to appear and then reviewing them accordingly. 

Most Popular Payment Options for Sports Betting in Ireland 

As we know, different markets have different preferences when it comes to payment options that allow you to make deposits and withdrawals at your betting site of choice. These are the most popular ones at the best online betting sites in Ireland.  

• Debit cards: The most popular debit cards, such as Visa and MasterCard, are widely accepted at online gambling sites, providing an easy-to-use, relatively quick and straightforward payment method. Credit cards are no longer accepted at Irish betting sites; more on that in the final section. 
• E-Wallets: The likes of PayPal, Neteller, and Skrill are popular for their speed and security at Irish gambling sites. They allow users to store funds and make transactions without directly sharing financial information with the gambling site, adding an extra layer of security and privacy.  
• Bank Transfers: Direct bank transfers allow users to move funds directly from their bank accounts to their betting accounts, though they’re one of the slower methods to process. 
• Paysafecard: Paysafecard is a prepaid voucher system that allows users to make secure and anonymous deposits. Those who prefer not to use their banking details online will see the appeal of it, with another advantage being that it’s one of the quicker methods. 

Most Popular Sports Betting Competitions and Sports in Ireland 

As we said already, the favourite sports for the Irish to bet on are somewhat similar to those that UK punters enjoy. Similar but not absolutely the same. Here are the most popular ones, and we will also look at which competitions within those sports are of particular interest to them. 

Football

The Premier League is extremely popular, as it is all over the world, as are the European competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League, and the domestic leagues from Spain and Italy. The top domestic league in Ireland, the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division, isn’t of a particularly high standard and lacks star names, with the vast majority of the country’s best players earning a living in England’s top two divisions.

So, there’s not a huge interest in it, but all the best betting sites in Ireland offer it and a couple of other Irish leagues anyway, as you’d expect. The national side hasn't enjoyed much success of late, but their matches attract plenty of money as well, as do the World Cup and Euros, whether Ireland qualifies or not. 

Rugby

The excellent form of the Ireland national side over the past few years, including winning the Grand Slam at the 2023 Six Nations and going into the 2023 World Cup as the favourites, has sparked even more interest than usual in matches involving the national side. But punters also like betting on competitions that the four Irish professional sides take part in, such as the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. 

GAA Sports

There are actually five sports that come under the category of Gaelic Athletic Association sports: hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, Gaelic handball and rounders. Of these, the first two are head and shoulders above the rest in terms of general popularity and betting interest. Interestingly, despite both remaining high-profile sports with the star players seen as real local and national heroes, they’re both amateur sports, meaning the players only receive expenses from their teams, in addition to the opportunity to endorse a few products.

Both are fast, somewhat dangerous sports, but that only adds to their appeal and the big finals are often played in front of crowds of as many as 80,000. Any betting site wanting to make an impact on the Irish betting market needs to be offering betting on these, as they’re very much part of Irish culture.

Horse Racing

Irish punters love betting on horseracing, and in addition to UK racing, there’s plenty of Irish racing available on a daily basis. Both are available throughout the year and though there are a handful of extremely popular Irish festivals to look forward to, it’s perhaps the (UK) Cheltenham Festival that Irish punters enjoy betting on the most.   

Golf

Another sport that’s very close to the heart of the Irish. The (Northern) Irish superstar Rory McIlroy is much-loved, and any interest in a golf tournament increases when he’s in action, while Shane Lowry’s win at The Open a few years ago was also a great cause for celebration. Betting interest in golf is at its peak when the four Majors come around, while the Ryder Cup- played every two years- is another real favourite as Europe takes on the USA in one of the sport’s great spectacles.   

Future of Online Sports Betting Sites in Ireland 

The General Scheme of the Gambling Regulation (Bill) of 2022 sets out provisions for the new regulator to regulate the gambling industry in Ireland, but it also pays plenty of attention to new player protection measures. While some of its elements will be gradually rolled out in the near future, others are already in place. 

A good example of that is the recent ban on the use of credit cards, something that had already happened in the UK a couple of years ago. The idea is that players shouldn’t be allowed to make deposits with money they don’t have.

Going forward, licensees (betting sites with an Irish licence) must promote safer gambling awareness, including highlighting the potential dangers of gambling while also displaying general terms and conditions and those related to betting offers in a clear way. 

The rules also affect how gambling is promoted and advertised. Adverts related to gambling on TV will be banned between 5.30 am and 9 pm, as will any adverts intended to appeal to children or which promote excessive gambling. 

The next few months will also see the end of free bets offered to customers. Though this is bad news for Irish customers who feel they are part and parcel of a betting site in terms of rewarding loyal players, free bets are often seen as an attempt by betting sites to lure back players who have been recently inactive, which goes against the idea of responsible gambling. Severe fines will be imposed on sports betting sites in Ireland that attempt to do so. 

VIP programs where customers are encouraged to gamble more and more often in a bid to receive rewards in the form of bonuses down the line will also be outlawed in the near future.  

Good news for players comes in the form of future penalties to betting sites that refuse bets or reduce winnings on them. That’s likely to result in betting companies not taking part in such practices for fear of those big fines. 

A Social Impact Fund will be funded by the industry and used to finance initiatives to reduce problem gambling, support awareness, and fund education on the matter.