GRAI Guide 2026 – Ireland’s Gambling Regulator Explained

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) is Ireland’s new independent gambling regulator. It was established to create a single, modern framework for regulating betting, gaming and most lottery activities in Ireland, both online and in person.

For players, however, there is an important detail: the transition to GRAI is still taking place in stages. In 2026, GRAI already regulates and licenses betting operators, while responsibility for some gaming activities is still moving across from the older system.

This guide explains what GRAI does, which gambling businesses it currently licenses, how to check an Irish gambling licence and what the new regulator means for players using online casinos in Ireland.

GRAI status in October 2026

GRAI is operational and has taken over betting licensing in Ireland. Gaming and some other gambling activities are still moving to the new framework in phases, so not every casino available to Irish players currently holds a GRAI licence.

What is GRAI?

GRAI stands for the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland. Its Irish name is Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann.

The Authority was created under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 and formally established as an independent statutory body in March 2025.

Its long-term responsibility is to regulate a wide range of gambling activities in Ireland, including:

• online betting,
• retail betting,
• online gaming,
• land-based gaming,
• betting intermediaries,
• certain lotteries,
• business-to-consumer gambling services,
• certain business-to-business gambling services.

The National Lottery is an important exception. It operates under a separate regulatory framework and is not regulated by GRAI.

What does GRAI regulate in 2026?

GRAI’s responsibilities are being introduced gradually rather than all at once.

On 5 February 2026, key provisions of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 came into force. This allowed GRAI to begin accepting, processing and issuing licences for betting activities.

Revenue confirmed in July 2026 that bookmaker, remote bookmaker and remote betting intermediary licences had transitioned to GRAI, while gaming licensing continues with Revenue until its transition to GRAI.

What types of licences does GRAI issue?

The Gambling Regulation Act creates a broader licensing system intended to cover the modern Irish gambling market.

The framework includes three broad categories:

• Business-to-consumer licences for companies offering gambling directly to players;
• Business-to-business licences for certain suppliers providing gambling-related services;
• Charitable and philanthropic licences for relevant fundraising gambling activities.

Within the consumer market, licences are divided further according to the activity and whether it is provided remotely or at a physical location.

In practical terms, a licence for remote betting does not automatically authorise every other form of gambling.

If a company operates both sportsbook and casino products, users should therefore look at what activity the licence actually covers, rather than assuming one licence covers the entire website.

GRAI remote betting licences

Remote betting is one of the first major areas to move fully into the new system.

From 5 February 2026, Revenue stopped issuing the old Remote Bookmaker and Remote Betting Intermediary licences. New licensing responsibility moved to GRAI.

The Irish Government stated that new entrants could be licensed as soon as operationally possible, with remote operators moving onto GRAI licences from 1 July 2026.

This means that a sportsbook accepting bets remotely from people in Ireland should now be assessed against the new GRAI betting framework where applicable.

Does GRAI regulate online casinos?

Ultimately, yes. The Gambling Regulation Act gives GRAI responsibility for online gaming as well as betting.

However, online casino licensing has not moved across at exactly the same speed as remote betting.

Revenue confirmed in July 2026 that it continues to licence gaming until that responsibility transitions to GRAI.

This creates an important distinction for Irish casino players.

You may currently find:

• operators regulated under the Irish transitional framework,
• international casinos holding licences from other jurisdictions,
• casino brands that operate across several European countries,
• betting operators that already fall under GRAI’s new betting regime.

IrishCasinoHEX therefore does not use the phrase “GRAI casino” simply because a site is available in Ireland.

A casino review is not proof of a GRAI licence

IrishCasinoHEX reviews international as well as locally regulated casino brands. A casino appearing on our site does not mean it holds a GRAI gaming licence. We check the actual regulator and operating company separately.

What if a casino has an international licence?

A casino can be licensed outside Ireland and still appear in comparisons aimed at Irish players.

International gambling licences can provide their own systems for:

• identity verification,
• anti-money-laundering controls,
• game testing,
• responsible gambling,
• complaints,
• player funds,
• withdrawal procedures.

But an international licence must not be confused with a GRAI licence.

For example, an overseas regulator may have different rules for advertising, bonus terms, complaints or dispute resolution. If something goes wrong, the player may have to use the complaint route of that regulator rather than GRAI.

Players interested in international options can compare European online casinos. We also separately track new online casinos, regardless of whether the operator is locally or internationally licensed.

Casinos reviewed for Irish players

Below are examples of casino brands reviewed on IrishCasinoHEX. They illustrate why it is important to examine the licence of each operator individually rather than assume every casino on an Irish-facing website is regulated by GRAI.

Casino reviews for Irish players

Our review process considers factors such as the operator, stated licence, withdrawal conditions, payment methods, bonus rules and availability to players.

How to check a GRAI licence

Never rely solely on a gambling site’s logo or a statement such as “fully licensed”. A meaningful licence check should connect the brand to a specific legal company and regulated activity.

• Find the legal operator Open the site’s terms, footer or regulatory information and identify the company operating the gambling service.
• Identify the claimed regulator Check whether the site names GRAI or an overseas gambling authority.
• Check the regulated activity Confirm whether the licence is for betting, gaming or another gambling service.
• Compare the company information The company on the licence should correspond with the operator shown in the site’s legal documents.
• Check the licence status Use the regulator’s current information rather than relying on screenshots, old reviews or copied licence badges.

How does GRAI protect players?

Consumer protection is one of the central purposes of Ireland’s new gambling framework.

The provisions brought into operation with the new licensing regime include controls dealing with:

• underage gambling,
• online gambling accounts,
• monetary limits,
• account closures,
• refunds of customer balances,
• suspicious gambling activity,
• protection of children online.

Remote customers can be given the ability to set monetary limits on how much they gamble, while the regulator also has powers relating to how much money can be deposited with a licensed operator.

This matters because player protection is no longer intended to depend purely on the voluntary policies of individual operators.

Can you gamble with a credit card under GRAI rules?

One major change introduced with the commencement of the new framework is a prohibition on using credit cards as a means of payment for gambling where the relevant provisions apply.

This is designed to reduce the risk of users gambling with borrowed money.

It should not be confused with ordinary debit-card payments or other payment methods. Payment availability still depends on the operator and the relevant regulatory rules.

Irish players comparing alternatives can read our guides to PayPal casinos, Revolut casinos, Paysafecard casinos and Skrill casinos.

GRAI monetary limits

The new regulatory framework gives remote gambling customers stronger control over how much money they can use.

Relevant provisions allow customers to set monetary limits, while GRAI can also regulate areas such as the amount that may be lodged with a gambling operator.

A limit can be useful because it introduces a fixed financial boundary before play begins rather than relying on a decision made during a gambling session.

How does GRAI deal with underage gambling?

Preventing gambling by children is a core part of the Gambling Regulation Act.

The new framework contains prohibitions on:

• allowing a child to gamble,
• employing children in prohibited gambling roles,
• failing to protect children when gambling is offered remotely.

Licensed remote operators also have specific obligations relating to the protection of children online.

18+

Online gambling is for adults only. Age and identity checks are not optional obstacles; they form part of regulated gambling and player-protection controls.

Does GRAI regulate gambling advertising?

Yes. Gambling advertising is a major part of the new Irish regulatory system.

The Gambling Regulation Act contains controls intended to reduce harmful or inappropriate marketing, particularly where children or vulnerable people may be exposed.

Depending on the relevant provisions and licence conditions, these controls can cover:

• the timing of gambling advertising,
• how gambling is promoted online,
• marketing directed at individual customers,
• responsible gambling messaging,
• inducements intended to encourage continued gambling.

One widely discussed measure restricts gambling advertising on television and radio during the daytime and early evening, with the legislation providing a watershed between 5:30am and 9:00pm.

Does GRAI regulate casino bonuses?

Promotions and inducements fall within the wider player-protection and marketing framework.

For players, this means the wording of a casino promotion matters.

Before accepting any casino bonus, check:

• wagering requirements,
• the maximum permitted bet,
• minimum deposit requirements,
• maximum cashout rules,
• restricted games,
• bonus expiry dates,
• identity-verification requirements.

This is particularly important with no-deposit bonuses, where the absence of a qualifying deposit does not necessarily mean the winnings are immediately withdrawable.

Can GRAI investigate player complaints?

The commencement of the new licensing framework also brought important complaints and enforcement mechanisms into operation.

However, whether GRAI is the correct place for an individual dispute depends on the operator and licence involved.

A practical complaint process is:

1. Contact the operator. Explain the problem clearly and ask for a written response.
2. Collect evidence. Save emails, chat transcripts, withdrawal requests, transaction IDs and relevant terms.
3. Identify the licence. Establish which regulator actually covers the activity.
4. Follow the operator’s formal complaint procedure.
5. Escalate to the appropriate regulator or dispute body if the issue is not resolved.

If the casino is internationally licensed rather than regulated by GRAI, its foreign regulator may be the appropriate escalation route.

What powers does GRAI have?

GRAI has substantial investigation and enforcement powers.

The Government confirmed that the regulator can use administrative sanctions where licensees breach the Gambling Regulation Act.

For serious regulatory breaches, financial sanctions can reach:

GRAI also has powers relating to illegal operators and can apply to the courts for orders requiring unlawful gambling activity to cease.

This makes the regulator materially different from a simple licensing office. Its role includes ongoing supervision and enforcement.

GRAI vs Revenue – what is the difference?

This is one of the most confusing parts of the 2026 transition.

Revenue remains relevant because operators can still owe betting duties even when the underlying licence is issued by GRAI.

GRAI vs international gambling regulators

GRAI is the regulator for Ireland’s new domestic framework. It should not be treated as a universal regulator for every casino available to Irish residents.

The key differences when comparing licences include:

This does not automatically make an international casino unsafe. It means the licence must be assessed according to the regulator that actually issued it.

How IrishCasinoHEX handles GRAI and international casinos

IrishCasinoHEX covers a broader market than only locally licensed casinos.

When reviewing an operator, we look at:

• who operates the casino,
• which regulator issued its licence,
• whether the licence can be independently verified,
• availability for Irish players,
• withdrawal conditions,
• payment methods,
• bonus terms,
• responsible gambling tools,
• customer support and complaint options.

The distinction is important because a casino can be available to an Irish player without currently being a GRAI-licensed gaming operator.

Users can browse our full online casino comparisons or focus on European casinos if jurisdiction is an important part of their selection process.

What happens next with GRAI?

The Irish gambling market is still in a transition period.

The next stages involve bringing additional gaming and lottery activities into the GRAI framework and replacing remaining parts of the older regulatory structure.

That means information about Irish casino licensing can change materially as new commencement orders and licensing stages take effect.

For this reason, players should be cautious with articles that simply state that “all Irish casinos require a GRAI licence” without specifying the date, type of gambling and stage of implementation.

GRAI explained – key points

• GRAI is Ireland’s new independent gambling regulator.
• It was formally established in March 2025.
• Betting licensing moved to GRAI in February 2026.
• Remote operators began moving to the new licence framework during 2026.
• Revenue no longer issues betting licences.
• Revenue continues to licence gaming while that sector transitions to GRAI.
• GRAI has player-protection, investigation and enforcement powers.
• Credit-card gambling is prohibited under commenced parts of the new regime.
• GRAI can impose substantial sanctions for regulatory breaches.
• An overseas gambling licence is not the same as a GRAI licence.
• IrishCasinoHEX reviews both internationally and locally regulated casinos.

Responsible gambling

18+. Gambling involves a risk of financial loss. Use deposit and spending limits, never gamble with money required for everyday expenses and seek support if gambling is causing harm.