GRAI Betting Licence Ireland: Remote Bookmaker Licences Explained

What Is a GRAI Remote Betting Licence?

A GRAI remote betting licence is the licence category introduced under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 for online and telephone sports bookmaking. “Remote” means the service is delivered at a distance (online or phone) as opposed to a physical retail shop. The licence authorises the holder to accept fixed-odds bets, spread bets, exchange bets, and similar products from customers in Ireland.

The GRAI opened the remote betting licence register on 1 July 2026, making it the first form of GRAI licence issued to any operator. Casino (gaming) licences, lottery licences, and retail-focused gaming licences are separate categories not yet open.

What Does the Licence Cover?

The scope of a remote betting licence is defined precisely. It covers:

• Fixed-odds sports betting online (web, mobile apps, mobile web)
• Betting by telephone
• Betting exchange products
• Spread betting (where this is offered alongside fixed-odds products by the same entity)

It does not cover:

• Online casino games — slots, roulette, blackjack, baccarat, live dealer
• Online poker rooms
• Online lottery or draw-based products
• Virtual sports or e-sports products where these are classified under gaming rather than betting

This matters for punters: a bookmaker may hold a GRAI betting licence and also operate a casino section. The GRAI betting licence does not extend to the casino section. The casino operates on a separate offshore licence (typically MGA, UKGC or similar).

Licence Conditions: What Operators Must Do

The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 sets out detailed conditions for all GRAI licences. For remote betting, the most important ones affecting Irish punters are:

Player Fund Protection

GRAI-licensed bookmakers must hold player deposits in a segregated client money account, separate from the operator's own operating funds. If the bookmaker becomes insolvent, player funds cannot be touched by creditors. This requirement brings Irish licensed bookmakers into line with UKGC and MGA standards, and beyond the standard of many offshore-only operators.

Age Verification

No bets can be accepted from an account that has not completed age verification. The standard is a documentary check: government-issued photo ID (passport, driving licence, or Public Services Card) is typically required. Self-declaration of age is not sufficient. The GRAI can audit operators on this and issue fines for non-compliance.

Responsible Gambling Tools

GRAI-licensed bookmakers must provide and enforce a full set of responsible gambling tools:

• Deposit limits (daily, weekly, monthly) — effective immediately when set, requiring a cooling-off period to increase
• Loss limits — same mechanism
• Session time limits and reality check notifications
• Self-exclusion — account closed immediately on request; operator cannot re-approach the customer
• Spending review prompts for accounts showing high or accelerating activity

Advertising Standards

The GRAI advertising code (effective from 1 July 2026 for licensed operators) prohibits:

• Gambling advertising before the 9pm watershed on TV and radio
• Use of celebrities, sports people, or social media influencers with significant under-18 followings
• Content that portrays gambling as a way to solve financial problems or escape personal difficulties
• Bonus promotions with unreasonable or opaque wagering requirements
• Targeting of customers on the National Gambling Exclusion Register or who have set self-exclusion

NGER (National Gambling Exclusion Register) Connection

When the NGER becomes live, GRAI-licensed bookmakers must check new and returning customers against it. Any customer on the register must be refused service and cannot be marketed to.

Licence Term and Fees

GRAI remote betting licences run for five years. The first licences, issued from 1 July 2026, run to 2029–2031 (depending on the precise issue date). Licence holders must pay an application fee and an annual levy. The levy contributes to the Social Impact Fund, which finances research and treatment for problem gambling in Ireland.

For detailed current fees, see our GRAI licence application fees guide.

How to Find GRAI-Licensed Bookmakers

The GRAI public register at grai.ie lists all current licence holders. CraicBet also tracks the register daily and publishes any new additions on our GRAI register tracker. Our list of GRAI-licensed bookmakers cross-references the register with our own assessments of each operator.

When assessing a bookmaker claiming a GRAI betting licence:

1. Find the legal entity name in the site's footer or terms (it differs from the brand name)
2. Search the GRAI register at grai.ie by that entity name
3. Confirm: active licence, remote betting category, licence number starting with GRAI
4. Note: a betting licence does not make the casino section of the same site GRAI-licensed

Benefits for Irish Punters

Betting with a GRAI-licensed bookmaker gives Irish punters protections that offshore-only licences cannot match:

• Irish law governs disputes: Complaints escalate to the GRAI, an Irish statutory body. You do not need to file in Malta or Curaçao.
• Protected funds: Your balance is ringfenced from operator insolvency.
• Meaningful self-exclusion: NGER-connected when live; operator must close your account immediately on request now.
• Fair advertising: You should not receive gambling promotions by text or email after self-excluding.
• Social Impact Fund contribution: A portion of operator levies funds problem gambling treatment in Ireland.

CraicBet's Partner Licence: GRAI-0191-RB-26-0001

CraicBet's partner bookmaker holds GRAI remote betting licence GRAI-0191-RB-26-0001, issued 16 September 2026 and valid until 15 September 2029. This is a remote betting licence — it covers sports wagering by Irish customers. Verifiable on the grai.ie public register under the licensed entity name.

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