Gambling Regulation Act 2024
Number 35 of 2024
GAMBLING REGULATION ACT 2024
REVISED
Updated to 30 January 2026
This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.
All Acts up to and including the Credit Review Act 2026 (1/2026), enacted 3 February 2026, and all statutory instruments up to and including the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2025 (Commencement) Order 2026 (S.I. No. 21 of 2026), made 29 January 2026, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.
Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to
revisedacts@lawreform.ie.
Number 35 of 2024
GAMBLING REGULATION ACT 2024
REVISED
Updated to 30 January 2026
CONTENTS
Preliminary and General
Section
1. Short title and commencement
3. Reference to providing betting activity
4. Reference to providing game
5. Reference to providing lottery
6. Unenforceability of contracts: bookmakers
Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland
Establishment, functions and governance of Authority
13. Establishment of Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland
16. Recommendation for appointment of members of Authority
17. Terms and conditions of membership of Authority
18. Power to appoint consultants and advisers and enter into contracts
22. Functions of chief executive
23. Delegation of functions of chief executive
24. Accountability of chief executive to Public Accounts Committee
25. Accountability of chief executive to other Oireachtas Committees
33. Review of operation of Act and consideration of issues of concern
34. Request from Minister to Authority for report
35. Information sharing agreements with persons in State
36. Amendment of National Archives Act 1986
Funding of Authority and fees
39. Advances by Minister to Authority
41. Power to impose charge to fund Authority
42. Power to recover fees and charges
National Gambling Exclusion Register
45. National Gambling Exclusion Register
46. Obligations of licensee to person whose name is entered on National Gambling Exclusion Register
47. Removal of entry on National Gambling Exclusion Register
48. Right of self-exclusion by person directly with licensee not affected
49. Review of operation of National Gambling Exclusion Register
Social Impact Fund
50. Establishment of Social Impact Fund
51. Payments out of Social Impact Fund
52. Payment of expenses of Authority from Social Impact Fund
53. Money transferred to Social Impact Fund following closure of gambling account
54. Funding of Social Impact Fund
55. Obligation to keep account of expenditure of money received from Social Impact Fund
57. Accounts: Social Impact Fund
Provisions Applicable to Authority, Appeals Panel and Adjudication Officers
60. Membership of either House of Oireachtas, European Parliament or local authority
61. Removal of member of relevant office
62. Non-disclosure of confidential information
63. False or misleading information, documentation or evidence
64. Restriction of rights and obligations under Data Protection Regulation
65. Regulations for purposes of data protection
66. Amendment of Freedom of Information Act 2014
Prohibitions and Offences (General)
Prohibitions: gambling activities and offence of cheating
67. Prohibition on providing betting activity, game or lottery
68. Employees, servants or agents of licensee providing relevant gambling activity
69. Prohibition on betting intermediaries acting other than by remote means
70. Prohibition on sale or supply of gambling product or gambling related service
71. Prohibition on purchase of gambling product or gambling related service
72. Gambling licensees and software for use in gambling
73. Prohibition on transfer, assignment or encumbrance of gambling licence
74. Cheating at relevant gambling activity
Applications to Court in respect of persons providing gambling activity in contravention of Chapter 1
Provisions related to offences: general
76. Liability of relevant officers and beneficial owners
78. Time limit for offences: summary proceedings
81. Suspension or revocation of gambling licence on conviction for offence
Licensing of Gambling Activities
Preliminary and General
Gambling licences and register of gambling licensees
88. Gambling licence for charitable or philanthropic purpose
89. Business to Business gambling licences
90. Register of gambling licensees
Gambling activities exempt from requirement to hold gambling licence
92. Certain lotteries held for charitable or philanthropic purpose not requiring gambling licence
Applications for gambling licences: general
95. Public notice of intention to apply for gambling licence
96. Information and documentation to accompany application for gambling licence: general
99. Assessment of suitability of premises
100. Assessment of suitability of premises for children
101. Assessment of suitability of premises for automated teller machine
103. Assessment of information and documentation provided under section 102(1)(b) and (c)
104. Information and documentation to accompany application for renewal of gambling licence
105. Further information sought by Authority following receipt of application for gambling licence
106. Arrangement with person outside State performing similar functions to Authority
Gambling licences issued under this Part
107. Issue of gambling licence following decision to grant gambling licence
108. Duration gambling licence remains in force
109. Transfer of gambling licence in certain circumstances
110. Display and production of gambling licence
111. Offence: falsely representing licence, registration number, as licensee or authorised officer
Applications for Business to Consumer licences: betting, gaming and lottery licences
112. Application for Business to Consumer gambling licence
113. Application for lottery licence: once-off lottery
114. Determination by Authority of application for Business to Consumer gambling licence
115. Renewal of Business to Consumer gambling licence
116. Application by licensee of in-person gambling licence to add premises to licence
Applications for grant and renewal of gambling licences for charitable or philanthropic purpose
118. Application for gambling licence for charitable or philanthropic purpose
119. Application for gambling licence for charitable or philanthropic purpose: once-off activity
121. Renewal of gambling licence for charitable or philanthropic purpose
122. Application to vary relevant gambling activity for a charitable or philanthropic purpose
Standards and certification of certain gambling products and gambling related services and applications for grant and renewal of Business to Business gambling licences
123. Power to set standards for certain gambling products and gambling related services
125. Application for Business to Business gambling licence
126. Determination by Authority of application for Business to Business gambling licence
127. Renewal of Business to Business gambling licence
128. Application to vary relevant gambling product or relevant gambling related service
Conditions attaching to gambling licences
130. Conditions attaching to gambling licences: general
132. Notice to Authority of change of information given under section 98(1)
133. Notice to Authority of change in information given under section 102
134. Additional conditions: Business to Consumer gambling licences
135. Establishment and maintenance of Segregated Customer Account
136. Regulations: Segregated Customer Accounts
138. Additional conditions: lottery licences
139. Additional conditions: gambling licence for charitable or philanthropic purpose
140. Conditions attaching to Business to Business gambling licence
Obligations on Licensees and Other Persons
Obligations on licensees and other persons: advertising, branded clothing and engagement of children in providing relevant gambling activity
141. Interpretation (Chapter 1 – Part 6)
143. Obligations on licensees in relation to advertising: general
144. Regulations regarding advertisements
146. Advertising on social media service and video-sharing platform service
147. Advertising by licensee by means of electronic communication
148. Prohibited material in advertisement
149. Prohibited hours for advertising on certain media
150. Application to High Court to direct cessation of advertising activity
151. Prohibition on branded clothing and merchandise
Obligations on licensees: general
152. Obligation on licensees to maintain records and accounts
153. Obligation to notify Authority of changes
Obligations on certain licensees: suspicious gambling patterns, inducements, participation of children and sponsorship
155. Obligation to pay out winnings
156. Obligation to notify Authority of suspicious gambling patterns
157. Offering inducement to gamble
158. Obligation not to permit child participate in relevant gambling activity
Obligations on certain Business to Consumer licensees: training, provision of facility for participants to set monetary limit and forms of payment for relevant gambling activities
160. Interpretation (Chapter 4)
162. Approved training programme
163. Obligation to ensure approved training programme completed by staff in relevant post
164. Obligation to provide facility to enable participant to set monetary limit
165. Obligation in respect of method of payment for relevant gambling activity
Obligations on licensees of remote gambling licences
167. Obligations before providing relevant gambling activity by remote means
168. Obligation to establish and maintain register of account-holders
169. Application to open gambling account with licensee of remote gambling licence
170. Requirement to lodge money in gambling account
171. Obligation to close gambling account
173. Obligation to provide information to account-holder
Obligations on licensees of in-person gambling licences
176. Obligations in respect of opening hours and use of premises
177. Obligation in relation to children on premises
178. Obligation in relation to withdrawal of cash on premises
Complaints
180. Complaints about licensees
181. Regulations regarding complaints
Compliance with and Enforcement of Relevant Obligations of Licensees
Preliminary and general
183. Privileged legal material
Authorised officers
184. Appointment of authorised officers
185. Powers of authorised officers
187. Data sharing: Act of 1958 and Act of 1994
Compliance with relevant obligations: general
188. Obligation on licensees to furnish compliance report and information and documentation
189. Application to District Court to compel production of information and documentation
190. Action by Authority in relation to alleged contravention of relevant obligation
Notice of non-compliance
192. Notice to licensee: contravention of relevant obligation
194. Suspension or revocation of licence following notice of non-compliance
Directed investigation
195. Power to direct investigation
196. Report of authorised officer
197. Action by Authority after consideration of investigation report
Adjudication and decisions on adjudication
199. Adjudication by adjudication officers or panel
200. Imposition of financial penalty and criminal proceedings
202. Action by adjudication officer after assignment to conduct adjudication
203. Decision as to contravention and imposition of administrative sanction
204. Notice of administrative sanction
205. Taking effect of decision as to contravention and taking effect of administrative sanction
206. Limitations on amount of financial penalty imposed as administrative sanction
207. Appeal against decision as to contravention and imposition of administrative sanction
208. Circuit Court confirmation of decision as to contravention and administrative sanction
209. Reference on point of law to High Court
210. Power of adjudication officer to issue direction to Authority or licensee
212. Orders for costs in proceedings before adjudication officer
213. Regulations in relation to proceedings before adjudication officer
214. Treatment of amounts paid in respect of financial penalties
Adjudication officers
215. Nomination of adjudication officers
216. Appointment of adjudication officers
217. Independence of adjudication officer
219. Assistance to adjudication officers
Emergency orders in respect of licensees
220. Application to Court for emergency orders in respect of licensees
Appeals
225. Application to Appeals Panel and determination of appeal by appeals officer or Appeals Board
Amendments to other Acts, Transitional and Savings Provisions and Consequential Amendments To other Acts
Amendments to other Acts
228. Prohibition on employment of child or young person in providing relevant gambling activity
Transitional provisions: Act of 1929 and regulations made under that Act
232. Totalisator licences under Act of 1929
Transitional provisions: Act of 1931 and regulations made under that Act
234. Transitional provision: general
235. Transitional provisions: bookmaker’s license under section 7 of Act of 1931
237. Transitional provision: remote bookmaker’s licence under section 7B of Act of 1931
238. Transitional provision: remote betting intermediary’s licence under section 7C of Act of 1931
240. Transitional provision: certificates of suitability of premises under section 10 of Act of 1931
244. Transitional provision: registers under Act of 1931
245. Transitional provision: compliance notice under section 32B of Act of 1931
Transitional provisions: Act of 1956 and regulations under that Act
247. Transitional provision: general
248. Transitional provision: contracts or debts referred to in section 36 of Act of 1956
249. Transitional provision: gaming permits under Part II of Act of 1956
250. Transitional provision: gaming licences under Part III of Act of 1956
251. Transitional provision: lottery permits under Part IV of Act of 1956
252. Transitional provision: lottery licences under Part IV of Act of 1956
253. Transitional provision: revocation of licences and permits under Part V of Act of 1956
Transitional provision: Act of 1975
255. Transitional provisions: section 43 of Act of 1975
Transitional provisions: Act of 2010 and regulations made under that Act in relation to private members’ clubs that engage in gambling activities
257. Transitional arrangements: general
258. Transitional arrangement: maintenance of register under section 109 of Act of 2010
259. Transitional arrangement: registration on the register
260. Transitional arrangement: certificate of fitness under section 109B of Act of 2010
Consequential amendments to other enactments
263. Amendment of section 1 of Street and House to House Collections Act 1962 (Repealed)
264. Amendment of section 8 of Pawnbrokers Act 1964
266. Amendment of Consumer Credit Act 1995
269. Amendment of Local Government Act 2001
270. Amendment of section 2 of Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 2003
271. Amendment of section 93 of Charities Act 2009 (Repealed)
Relevant Offence
Acts Repealed
Statutory Instruments Revoked
Maximum Relevant Payment and Maximum Winnings
Acts Referred to
Betting (Amendment) Act 2015 (No. 7)
Betting Act 1853 (16 & 17 Vict.,) c. 119
Betting Act 1931 (No. 27)
Betting and Loans (Infants) Act 1892 (55 & 56 Vict.) c. 4
Broadcasting Act 2009 (No. 18)
Central Bank Act 1942 (No. 22)
Central Bank Act 1989 (No. 16)
Charities Act 2009 (No. 6)
Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 (No. 22)
Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 (No. 24)
Communications Regulation Act 2002 (No. 20)
Companies Act 2014 (No. 38)
Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993 (No. 8)
Consumer Credit Act 1995 (No. 24)
Consumer Protection Act 2007 (No. 19)
Counterfeiting Act 2021 (No. 16)
Credit Union Act 1997 (No. 15)
Criminal Damage Act 1991 (No. 31)
Criminal Justice (Corruption Offences) Act 2018 (No. 9)
Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2012 (No. 11)
Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 (No. 6)
Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 2003 (No. 16)
Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 (No. 50)
Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008 (No. 8)
Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990 (No. 32)
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 (No. 20)
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006 (No. 15)
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (No. 2)
Data Protection Act 2018 (No. 7)
Domestic Violence Act 2018 (No. 6)
Electoral Reform Act 2022 (No. 30)
European Parliament Elections Act 1997 (No. 2)
Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1956 (No. 47)
Finance Act 1975 (No. 6)
Finance Act 1992 (No. 9)
Finance Act 2002 (No. 5)
Fire Services Act 1981 (No. 30)
Freedom of Information Act 2014 (No. 30)
Gaming Act 1744 (18 Geo. 2.) c. 34
Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 (No. 2)
Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956 to 2003
Greyhound Industry Act 1958 (No. 12)
Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 (No. 32)
Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001 (No. 20)
Interpretation Act 2005 (No. 23)
Irish Horseracing Industry Act 1994 (No. 18)
Licensing Act 1872 (35 & 36 Vict., c. 94)
Local Government Act 2001 (No. 37)
Mercantile Marine Act 1955 (No. 29)
Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 (No. 12)
National Archives Act 1986 (No. 11)
National Lottery Act 1986 (No. 28)
National Lottery Act 2013 (No. 13)
National Treasury Management Agency Act 1990 (No. 18)
Netting of Financial Contracts Act 1995 (No. 25)
Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 (No. 26)
Offences against the Person Act 1861 (24 & 25 Vict., c.100)
Pawnbrokers Act 1964 (No. 31)
Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act 1851 (14 & 15 Vict., c.93)
Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996 (No. 16)
Punishment of Incest Act 1908 (8 Edw. 7 c.45)
Street and House to House Collections Act 1962 (No. 13)
Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39)
Totalisator Act 1929 (No. 22)
Number 35 of 2024
GAMBLING REGULATION ACT 2024
REVISED
Updated to 30 January 2026
An Act to provide for the establishment of a body to be known as Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann or, in the English language, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland for the purposes of licensing and regulating betting, gaming, certain lotteries and the sale or supply of products or services related to gambling; to provide for the funding of that Authority by means of imposition of a charge on licensees; to provide for the establishment and maintenance of a register of persons who hold gambling licences in the State and a National Gambling Exclusion Register; to provide for the establishment of a Social Impact Fund to, among other matters, finance research into, raise awareness of, and eliminate or reduce, compulsive and excessive gambling; to provide for contributions to the Fund by certain licensees; to provide for the imposition of obligations on those licensees including obligations relating to advertising, inducements and sponsorship for the purposes of safeguarding persons participating in gambling; to provide for the prohibition of children participating in gambling or being employed in the gambling industry; to provide, for the purposes of ensuring conditions attached to gambling licences and obligations imposed on licensees are complied with, for compliance and enforcement measures; and for those and other purposes to repeal the Gaming Act 1744, the Betting Act 1853, the Totalisator Act 1929, the Betting Act 1931, the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 and certain provisions of certain other Acts, to revoke certain statutory instruments and to provide for the consequential amendment of certain other enactments; to provide for transitional arrangements; to amend the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 for the purpose of giving further effect to Directive (EU) 2015/849 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 20151 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing; and to provide for related matters.
[23rd October, 2024]
Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows: