Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland

Introduction

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) is a new statutory body responsible for the licensing and regulation of gambling services in Ireland. The GRAI was established under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 (pdf).

The GRAI is independent in the performance of its functions. The new regulator will focus on public safety and wellbeing, it will cover gambling online and in person and will have powers to regulate advertising, gambling, websites, and apps.

Licensing and regulation of gambling in Ireland is currently based on several pieces of legislation. The new legislation will repeal existing laws and will streamline the approach to licensing and regulation of gambling in Ireland. Read more about the law on gambling in Ireland.

The National Lottery will not be covered by the new legislation and will remain separately regulated.

Members of the GRAI

The GRAI will comprise seven members, including an appointed Chairperson, with relevant experience in related matters, including:

  • Legal or compliance in a regulated setting
  • Gambling activities
  • Consumer affairs
  • The pathology and treatment of addiction, particularly gambling addiction
  • Information and communications technology
  • Financial services, including audit and forensic accounting practice

The members will comprise no fewer than 3 men and no fewer than 3 women. The members will be appointed by the Minister for Justice following a competition held by the Public Appointments Service.

Functions of the GRAI

The GRAI will have a wide variety of functions, including:

  • Regulating the provision of gambling services and activities, both online and in person
  • Developing safeguards to protect consumers from problem gambling, paricularly to protect children from accessing places or services where gambling activities are offered
  • Establishing both a National Gambling Exclusion Register (see below)
  • Establishing a Social Impact Fund to finance research, training, and education on gambling addiction
  • Licensing of gambling services and activities, including maintaining a register of all licensed operators and determining licence fees
  • Ensuring compliance by gambling providers with restrictions imposed on advertising and sponsorship, including a statutory watershed prohibiting gambling advertising between the hours of 5.30am and 9.00pm on television, radio or on-demand audio-visual media
  • Receiving, investigating and addressing complaints about gambling providers
  • Ensuring compliance by gambling providers with the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, and addressing money laundering activities in the context of gambling services
  • Keeping the Minister of Justice informed of developments relating to the regulation and licensing of gambling services and making recommendations on policies
  • Promoting public awareness and providing information to the public about regulation and licensing of gambling activities

Types of gambling licences

The GRAI will oversee the introduction of 3 types of licences for both in-person and online or remote betting:

  1. Business to Consumer Gaming, Betting and Lottery Licences
  2. Business to Business Licences
  3. Gambling licences for Charitable/Philanthropic Causes

You can read more about the law on gambling in Ireland and the statutory powers of the GRAI.

Help for problem gambling

If you cannot control your need to gamble despite the effect it has on your own life and the lives of your family, you may have a gambling addiction. You can get help to treat your gambling addiction.

You can find public and private services that provide support for problem gambling (pdf) and you can find your local service for addiction treatments on this map.

Find self-help for gambling addiction.

You can read more about problem gambling on the GRAI’s website.

The National Gambling Exclusion Register

If you think you may be experiencing problem gambling, you will be able to join a register online to exclude yourself from gambling with GRAI-licensed gambling bodies.

When you register you can exclude yourself from accessing or being contacted by licensed online gambling bodies.

The National Gambling Exclusion Register run by the GRAI will be separate to any exclusion schemes operated by gambling bodies.

If you are on the register a licensed gambling body cannot:

  • Allow you to register to gamble
  • Accept a payment for gambling from you, or
  • Communicate with you in a manner that would encourage you to gamble, or that promotes gambling

If a licensed gambling body breaches any of these laws, it is an offence. They could receive a conviction of up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a fine at the discretion of the courts.

Read more about the National Exclusion Register on the GRAI website.

Contact

Read more about the law on gambling in Ireland and find out how to get help for a gambling addiction.

Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland

Bishops Square
Dublin 2

Page edited: 4 November 2024