Ireland Prepares to Launch Gambling Licence Applications
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) has taken the first step toward implementing the country’s new licensing regime by inviting prospective gambling operators and suppliers to register their interest. The regulator aims to open the application portal by the end of the year, in line with the 2024 Gambling Regulation Act.
Regulator Opens Pre-Registration for Licence Applicants
On March 27, GRAI launched an initiative to gauge market demand by asking potential applicants to pre-register their interest in one or more licence categories. This early engagement is intended to help the regulator understand the volume and type of expected applications while building a contact list for future updates.
Under the new framework, GRAI will issue licences for nearly all gambling activities in Ireland, with the exception of the National Lottery. The licensing process will apply to both B2C and B2B businesses, as well as to charities conducting gambling-related fundraising.
In comments made earlier this month, GRAI CEO Anne-Marie Caulfield emphasized that licensing is the agency’s top priority. “The vast majority of the obligations [we will enforce] are related to the licensing structure,” she told iGB.
Caulfield also outlined a phased rollout, beginning with betting licences—both for online and land-based operations—before the end of 2024. Online gaming licences will follow in early 2026, with the remainder of the framework implemented through 2027.
According to Caulfield, every licence applicant will undergo corporate, financial, and technical due diligence. “There’ll be a fairly thorough vetting system for [operators] and that will be our priority in the first instance,” she said.
Range of Licence Types Available
GRAI will offer three broad licence categories: B2C, B2B, and charitable/philanthropic licences.
For B2C operators, the available licences include remote betting, in-person betting, remote betting intermediary, remote gaming, and lottery licences.
B2B licences will cover companies providing services such as hosting, odds-making, risk management, software maintenance, and the supply of gaming machines or other hardware to operators.
Charitable licences are also part of the framework, although GRAI does not expect to open applications in this category in 2024. Charitable organizations may continue to use the existing permit system for now.
The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 formally established GRAI and tasked it with enforcing Ireland’s updated gambling laws. Once licences are issued, the regulator will oversee compliance with various operational standards, including advertising restrictions and promotional guidelines.
The pre-registration process is a key step in setting up the infrastructure for licensing and compliance. GRAI’s survey is now open to all interested parties.