The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) is opening up its new licensing regime for online and retail betting licenses.

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan TD, signed a commencement order this week to allow the GRAI to begin accepting and processing applications for remote and in-person betting licences under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. 

The order also commences other key elements of the Act, including the enforcement and complaints functions that will underpin the new licensing framework.

The GRAI will take a phased approach to issuing different licence types for remote, in-person, and remote betting intermediary licences to ensure an efficient transition to the re-regulated market.

Minister O’Callaghan said: “Today marks another important step towards replacing Ireland’s outdated gambling laws with a streamlined and simplified licensing framework. 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,” he added.

GRAI chairperson Paul Quinn commented: “I welcome the commencement by Minister O’Callaghan of the GRAI’s licensing function, which will provide the Authority with the statutory and legislative powers to regulate the gambling industry. Ensuring that operators are transparent and comply with regulatory requirements underpins the entirety of the licensing framework and keeps our public health mandate at its core.

“The GRAI’s Strategy Statement 2025 – 2027 outlines the importance of an effective, efficient, and proportionate licensing regime, and this is the foundation of a well-regulated gambling environment in Ireland.”

Anne Marie Caulfield, CEO of the GRAI, said: “Today marks a monumental step in the GRAI’s regulatory journey, one that will enable us to fulfil the legislative requirements entrusted to us. I want to thank the Licensing and ICT teams for their hard work over the past year; their thorough crafting of the new licensing regime will ensure that only reputable operators become licensed in Ireland and, as a result, the public will be safeguarded from gambling harm.

“I would also like to thank Minister O’Callaghan and his officials for their support in progressing the necessary orders to allow us to open for licensing. The GRAI looks forward to receiving the first applications for licenses as we implement a comprehensive and robust process. I would encourage all operators to engage with the new process as early as possible to ensure that their application can be processed in a timely manner.”

The order confers robust investigative powers to the GRAI and allows for administrative sanctions of fines of up to €20 million or 10 per cent of a licensee’s turnover, whichever is the greater, to be imposed on licensees, where they are found to be in contravention of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024.

A number of criminal enforcement powers will be commenced, as will provisions which will allow the GRAI to apply to the Court for an order directing illegal operators to cease operations.