Delay to Irish Gambling Regulation Leads to Further Market Uncertainty
While there have been many positive moves in the Irish gambling sector in the last 12 months, uncertainty over future regulation has led to a mixed set of revenue figures. The Gambling Regulation Authority of Ireland (GRAI), is the new body set up specifically to oversee the industry, and there are many changes in the pipeline.
It had been hoped that the Gambling Regulation Act of 2024 would be fully rolled out by the end of the year, but a recent announcement indicates that the measures will now be pushed back to the start of 2026 at the earliest.
Why the Delay?
As recently as late May, it was reported in some quarters that the GRAI were hoping to complete legislative moves by the end of this year. Those stories have since been countered by The Journal, which claims that the changes will be pushed back to 2026.
The issue appears to centre around the licensing process implemented by the new authority. While many operators have already offered Irish players sports betting, casino and other gambling services for several years, they were all instructed to apply for new licensing and regulation.
In the first instance, potential operators had to express their interest in working inside the Irish gambling market. From there the process truly began, but it’s believed that the enormity of the task has led to the delay.
This means that a fully licensed network of Irish online casino operators remains several months away from completion, but the wait will lead to complications in other areas, too.
Social Fund Under Pressure
As part of its overall review, the GRAI made a commitment to responsible gambling. Moving forward, there will be heavy restrictions on when operators can advertise their services, while the authority is also set to introduce limits on maximum stakes.
The GRAI had also set up a Social Impact fund in 2024 which was introduced to help those who faced issues as a result of problem gambling. Among the worries over delays to new legislation, the fund is raising the most concern.
Labour TD Mark Wall states: “People desperately need the social impact fund operational as soon as possible. This is not just a statistic; it’s a reflection of the real and growing crisis affecting our youth.”
Counter Claims
While The Journal was adamant over the pushback to 2026, the GRAI has seemingly not given up on a 2025 rollout. According to the Next io website, talk of a delay may yet be premature.
In a statement, the authority also argued against the potential impacts that a delay may bring. ‘The GRAI is preparing to open for licensing in late 2025,’ the statement reads. ‘We are making steady progress towards this goal and plan to implement a phased approach to the licensing process.’
There are, therefore, two opposing views as to when the legislation and the licensing process finally gets over the line. It remains to be seen who is right, but the entire industry will hope to see the lengthy operation complete before it harms the social impact fund and threatens to slow down industry revenue.