Online casinos in Ireland in 2026: what is legal and what is not

First, a note about this domain

Casinos Geek used to publish casino news and reviews, in 2011 and again from 2021 to 2025. We kept the name but changed the job. We no longer promote casinos: no casino rankings, no casino bonuses and no links to casino sites, on this page or anywhere else on the site. What we cover now is licensed betting in Ireland and the numbers behind it.

This page stays because people still search for online casinos in Ireland and deserve a straight answer about the law.

What the register shows

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) publishes its licences at grai.ie/register. Our copy, updated 20.10.2026, has 42 rows. Every one of them is a betting licence:

On its licensing phasing page GRAI says it is "engaging with the Revenue Commissioners on Gaming Licenses". In other words, the gaming licence is still being worked on and has not been opened yet. No date for gaming licences has been announced as of 11.11.2026.

Why do casino names appear on a betting register?

Read the trading-name column and you will find words like "casino". Three examples from the register (updated 20.10.2026):

Licence holder	Licence	Activity	Trading names listed
QuinnBet (Gibraltar) Limited	GRAI-0633-RB-26-0001	Remote Betting	QuinnSports, QuinnCasino, QuinnBet
ElectraWorks Limited	GRAI-0652-RB-26-0001	Remote Betting	Sportingbet, PartyCasino (Sports), PartyPoker (Sports), Bwin, Coral
BM Solutions Limited	GRAI-0735-RB-26-0001	Remote Betting	Casinoin, Betmaster

The activity column on all three says Remote Betting. A betting licence covers betting: fixed-odds bets on sport and events. The register lists every trading name under which the holder takes bets, and some companies use a casino brand for their sportsbook too. ElectraWorks marks this openly with "(Sports)" after PartyCasino and PartyPoker.

So is online casino gambling illegal in Ireland?

We are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice. What we can say with sources is narrower and more useful:

• No online casino holds a GRAI licence, as of 11.11.2026 (GRAI register).
• The new licensing system under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 started with betting. Remote betting operators have needed a GRAI licence since 1 July 2026 (citizensinformation.ie).
• GRAI says it is engaging with the Revenue Commissioners on gaming licences; no timetable has been published.

The practical point for a reader: if you play at an online casino today, it is not supervised by the Irish regulator. The GRAI rules that protect betting customers do not reach it.

What you lose on an unlicensed site

We do not name sites, and the points below apply to any operator that is not on the GRAI register. Compared with a GRAI licensee, you lose:

• The ID and age check rule. GRAI licensees must verify identity and age before registration since 01.07.2026. An unlicensed site has no such Irish duty, which also means no Irish check that children are kept out.
• The credit card ban. Since 05.02.2026 (S.I. No. 31/2026) Irish licensees may not take credit cards for gambling. A site outside the system is not bound by it.
• Limit-setting. Irish licensees must offer remote customers the option to set limits (same order).
• A regulator to complain to. If an unlicensed site keeps your balance or closes your account, GRAI has no licence to act on.
• Future protections. When the National Gambling Exclusion Register starts, it will work through licensees. A site outside the system will not be part of it.

Watch for the usual tell-tale signs on any gambling site: no Irish licence number you can find on grai.ie/register, a licence badge that does not link anywhere official, a company name that appears nowhere in the terms, or a push to deposit with crypto or through a third-party wallet you have never heard of.

Checking any gambling site

Find the company name in the site's terms, search it and the brand on grai.ie/register, and read the activity column: as of 11.11.2026 it can only say Remote Betting, Remote Betting Intermediary or In-person Betting. The full steps are on our licensed bookmakers hub.

What will change when gaming licences open

The Act provides for gaming licences alongside betting and lottery licences. GRAI says it is engaging with the Revenue Commissioners on gaming licences; no timetable has been published. Until GRAI publishes a date and opens applications, nobody can tell you when the first licensed online casino will appear in Ireland. When it happens, the test will be the same as for bookmakers: the brand will need a row on grai.ie/register with a gaming activity type. We will update this page when the first such row appears.

The National Lottery is a separate case: it is not regulated by GRAI and remains under the National Lottery Act 2013.

Where to go instead

• How to check a betting licence: licensed bookmakers and the GRAI register.
• Dates, measures in force and what is still pending: Irish gambling law.
• If gambling is causing problems: safer gambling and help lines. The Gambling Awareness Trust helpline is 1800 936 725, 24 hours.