Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 July 2026
296. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the consumer-protection measures that will apply where Irish consumers use unlicensed online gambling platforms that do not contribute to the Social Impact Fund, and may not comply with Irish rules on advertising, inducements, age verification or safer gambling. [53790/26]
View answerThe Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) is an independent regulator. As of 1 July 2026, it is illegal for remote betting or remote betting intermediaries to operate within Ireland without a GRAI licence. Other licence types like gaming, lottery, B2B, charitable and philanthropic will follow in due course.
The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 provides the GRAI with extensive powers 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. The Act provides for an offence of providing a gambling activity without a licence and any person found guilty of such an offence shall be subject to a fine and/or up to 8 years imprisonment.
In addition to this offence, the Act also provides for the ability of the Authority, via court order, to block:
• internet service provision of a prohibited gambling activity or by unlicensed providers (both inside and outside the State);
• advertising of gambling activities by unlicensed providers;
• financial payments to unlicensed providers;
• the disposal of assets (by such an unlicensed provider) or reducing assets below a certain level; and
• to compel the surrender of any gambling products used in the provision of prohibited gambling services.
I am advised that the Authority has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: oireachtas@grai.ie
