The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) has published its Statement of Strategy 2025-2027, setting out a three-year strategic plan. This strategy lays the foundations for the regulation of gambling in Ireland, against a backdrop of major reform.
The birth of a regulator and the legislative context
The story begins at an earlier stage: for several years Ireland had been aware of the need to reform the legal framework for gambling. The Gambling Regulation Bill was to create an independent authority responsible for overseeing betting, gaming and lottery activities.
This authority, the GRAI, was officially established on 5 March 2025 by decree, marking a turning point: until then, the system had been based on older legislation and fragmented controls. The official website defines the GRAI as an independent, self-financing regulator, reporting to the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
For Minister Jim O’Callaghan, the launch is not just about strict regulation:
“This is an important milestone for the Authority, the gambling sector in Ireland and for the wider public. This strategy is not just about regulation; it is about educating the public, protecting those vulnerable to gambling harm, and ensuring that the industry operates to the highest standards of integrity and social responsibility.”
For his part, Paul Quinn, Chairman of the GRAI, stresses the mission:
“As a newly established independent regulator, we have been entrusted with a vital public mandate: to ensure that gambling in Ireland is conducted in a safe, fair, and transparent manner, with the interests of individuals, families, and the wider community at its heart.”
With this new institution, Ireland enters an era of rigorous supervision and increased accountability of operators.
A 2025-2027 strategy based on six pillars
The heart of the reform is to be found in GRAI’s strategy document. The Statement of Strategy 2025-2027 identifies six key functional areas around which the authority’s objectives and deliverables are organised.
1. Licensing
One of the very first challenges will be to roll out the licensing regime imposed by the 2024 Act. This includes B2C (to direct gambling operators), B2B (to suppliers) and charitable or philanthropic licences. The GRAI announces that it will put in place the necessary processes, technical checks and eligibility criteria during the term of the scheme.
2. Monitoring and compliance
Granting a licence is not enough: it will be necessary to monitor, verify, impose audits and regular checks to ensure that operators comply with standards of security, transparency and public protection. The GRAI plans to incorporate this function gradually.
3. Application of sanctions
The strategy provides for the strengthening of coercive powers: financial sanctions, revocations, licence suspensions or even criminal proceedings in the event of non-compliance. The aim is to deter serious or repeated breaches.
4. Consumer protection and awareness
The authority intends to place consumers (particularly vulnerable groups) at the heart of its action. The measures envisaged include awareness-raising campaigns, self-exclusion mechanisms and player education.
5. Human resources, governance
To operate effectively, the GRAI needs to be structured. It will have to recruit, train, put in place internal procedures, clear governance and an accountability framework.
6. Priority to digital
Faced with the predominance of online gambling, the authority wants to adopt a digital approach: technical protocols, online reporting systems, integration of digital registers and use of data to detect risks.
Regulatory measures already adopted or in preparation
GRAI is not waiting for the plan to be finalised before taking action: some legislative changes have already been adopted or are in the process of being consulted.
One of the most significant is that B2C licences will be valid for three years. This rule has been validated by the European Commission in the new regulations on gaming licences in 2025. At the same time, licence application fees are now set more precisely: the amount will be proportional to the applicant’s turnover or, for new entrants, estimated on the basis of the first few months of activity.
The GRAI has also launched a major public consultation between 7 April and 5 May 2025, aimed at gathering the views of operators, associations and the general public on the proposed regulations on fees, the duration of licences and the conditions imposed.
Issues, challenges and opposition
A reform of this magnitude naturally elicits contrasting reactions. On the industry side, some players are warning of additional constraints, particularly for smaller operators. Others are calling for gradual implementation, pointing out that too abrupt a change could encourage unregulated gambling and drive operators to operate offshore.
One of the most sensitive sticking points is gambling advertising. The new framework provides for severe restrictions, including an announced ban on advertising between 5.30am and 9pm, including on online media and social networks. Controlling advertising incentives (free offers, bonuses) is also a key concern.The authority’s effectiveness will therefore depend on its ability to combine rigour, flexibility, listening to stakeholders, and the capacity to evolve with the digital sector.