Ireland is set to begin issuing remote and non-remote gambling licences as part of the major upheaval of the country’s gambling regulations.
Jim O’Callaghan, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, has signed an order to commence the licensing aspect Gambling Regulation Act 2024.
In turn, the newly established regulator, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), will begin issuing licences to prospective operators.
Effective from 5 February, the GRAI will start accepting and processing applications.
Remote operators can be awarded licences from as early as 1 July, with non-remote applicants receiving permits from 1 December.
This is in line with existing licences handed out by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners expiring.
Alongside opening the licensing window, the GRAI has now been granted “robust investigative powers”.
These include the ability to sanction fines of up to €20m or a 10% of a licensee’ turnover, whichever is greater.
O’Callaghan’s approval will also see the banning of credit cards as a payment method and obligations for operators to implement deposit limits and flag suspicious behaviour.
The GRAI has been operational since March 2025. The changes to Ireland’s gambling regulations represent the most significant since the 1950s.
O’Callaghan said the opening of the licensing window marked an “important step towards replacing Ireland’s outdated gambling laws”.
The minister added: “This reflects the nature of modern gambling and takes into account the harms associated with problem gambling, by providing safeguards to protect people from those harms, especially children.
“The Authority can issue licences for new entrants as soon as is feasible, licence remote operators from 1 July 2026 and in-person operators from 1 December 2026, when their existing licences, issued by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, expire.
“The Act provides the Authority with the necessary enforcement powers to take appropriate and focused action where licensees fail to comply with licensing terms, conditions and regulations, and to deal with unlicensed operators, those operating without the correct licence or those in contravention of the terms of a licence issued by the Authority.”
The post Ireland to open online and land-based B2C licensing window first appeared on EGR Intel.
Online operators could receive permits as early as 1 July after minister hands powers over to the regulator
The post Ireland to open online and land-based B2C licensing window first appeared on EGR Intel.