Ireland’s Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRAI) and the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), an agreement which will allow the two...
GRAI arranged more details on Ireland’s gambling licensing
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) shares more details on the gambling licensing process through a Licensing Application Guidance document.
GRAI has only been established in March 2025, so it’s still in the process of solidifying key areas. Nevertheless, operators must apply for and renew licensing under existing arrangements with the Revenue Commissioners. This process falls under Ireland’s Betting Act 1931 and the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956.
Lottery licenses and permit applications will continue to be checked by the District Courts and An Garda Síochána until new licensing arrangements are in place. However, these licences will only be valid for one year as the GRAI looks to modernize and facilitate licensing applications to fit the new regulatory model.
The applications of gambling companies in the B2B space, and companies such as charity lotteries, will be reviewed at a “later stage”, as GRAI’s initial focus remains on B2C companies.
To begin the licensing process, companies must publish a Notice of Intention to apply for a gambling licence at least 28 days before submitting the application. After preparing and submitting documents, gambling companies must make the application fee payment at the time of their submission. The fees will be set on a tiered basis based on a company’s turnover in the preceding year of operations, or their projected turnover of trading if they are a new entrant into the market.
The GRAI will then review licence applications with a “risk-based assessment” of the applicant.
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) reconsiders its license fee model, trying a tiered fee structure based on Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) or a hybrid of GGY...
