Ireland Activates New Gambling Licensing Regime as Minister Signs Commencement Order

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, has formally signed a commencement order to activate key provisions of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, clearing the way for the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) to start licensing betting operators.

The order, which comes into effect on Thursday, 5 February 2026, enables the Authority to accept, assess and issue licences for both remote and in-person betting. It also brings into force the enforcement, oversight and complaints mechanisms that underpin Ireland’s new gambling regulatory regime.

In parallel, the order triggers amendments and repeals to legacy legislation, most notably the Totalisator Act 1929 and the Betting Act 1931, marking a decisive break from Ireland’s long-standing gambling laws.

Phased Licensing and Stronger Enforcement

Under the new framework, the GRAI will be able to issue licences to new market entrants as soon as practicable. Remote gambling operators may be licensed from 1 July 2026, while in-person betting operators will transition from 1 December 2026, when existing licences issued by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners expire.

“Today marks another important step towards replacing Ireland’s outdated gambling laws with a streamlined and simplified licensing framework,” Minister O’Callaghan said.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

He added that the legislation equips the Authority with significant enforcement powers. “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,” O’Callaghan said.

Compliance Measures and Consumer Protections

The commencement order grants the GRAI robust investigative powers, including the ability to impose administrative sanctions of up to €20 million or 10% of a licensee’s turnover, whichever is greater, for breaches of the Act. Criminal enforcement provisions are also being activated, alongside powers allowing the Authority to seek court orders to shut down illegal operators.

A wide range of consumer protection and harm-prevention measures will also come into force. These include a ban on the use of credit cards for gambling, strict prohibitions on allowing children to gamble or be employed by licensees, and new requirements enabling customers to set financial limits on online and remote gambling.

Additional obligations require operators to report suspicious gambling activity, protect children in online environments, regulate the operation of gambling accounts and comply with rules governing account closures and refunds. The Authority will also have the power to limit the amount of money that can be deposited with a licensee.

The activation of these measures signals the start of a new regulatory era for Ireland’s gambling market, as the country moves toward a unified licensing system designed to reflect modern gambling practices while strengthening oversight and player protection.