Key moment for gambling in Ireland as Totaliser Act repealed

Summary

On 3 February 2026 Ireland took a major step in overhauling its gambling regime when the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration signed a Commencement Order bringing key parts of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 into force. The move repeals the Totaliser Act 1929 and the Betting Act 1931 and empowers the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) to begin licensing and enforcement activity.

The Order allows GRAI to accept licence applications from 5 February, to issue licences to new entrants, and to transition existing remote and in-person operators onto the new regime when their current licences expire (remote: 1 July 2026; in-person: 1 December 2026). It also introduces stronger player-protection and enforcement measures, including a prohibition on credit card gambling, deposit and account safeguards, suspicious-activity reporting obligations, investigative powers, and penalties of up to €20m or 10% of turnover.

Key Points

The Commencement Order activates key provisions of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 and repeals the Totaliser Act 1929 and Betting Act 1931.
GRAI can start taking licence applications from 5 February 2026 and may issue licences to new entrants and replace existing ones as they expire (remote licences: 1 July 2026; in-person licences: 1 December 2026).
New player-protection rules include banning credit card payments for gambling, allowing players to set monetary limits, and permitting GRAI to limit amounts lodged with licensees.
Operators must notify GRAI of suspicious gambling activity; the regulator gains investigative powers and can impose fines up to €20m or 10% of turnover.
Licensing fees are not finalised; a tiered model based on a hybrid of turnover and gross gaming yield (GGY) is under consideration to reflect differences in margins across operator and game types.
Once finalised, regulations will be notified to the European Commission and member states via the Technical Regulation Information System to ensure EU regulatory coherence.

Context and relevance

Punchy take: this is a landmark modernisation for Ireland’s gambling sector. After decades under a fragmented and dated framework, Ireland now has a consolidated licensing and enforcement regime designed for contemporary online and retail gambling. The strengthened enforcement tools and hefty penalty regime signal that regulators intend to take compliance seriously — that matters for operators, suppliers and advisors planning market entry or continued operations in Ireland.

The move also fits broader EU and industry trends: stricter player-protection measures, closer oversight of payment methods, and fee models that attempt to balance fairness across product types. For anyone tracking regulatory risk, market access or compliance costs in Europe, this is a development to note.

Why should I read this?

Short version: because Ireland just opened the shop and it’s not a soft launch. If you operate, plan to enter, supply, invest in or advise on gambling in Ireland, the new rules, enforcement powers and timing for licence transitions will affect your roadmap — quickly. We’ve read the legal moves so you don’t have to squint through the statute book.