Betting Sites Blocked in Ireland — GRAI Enforcement Action 2026

Why are betting sites being blocked in Ireland?

Ireland's Gambling Regulation Act 2024 created the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), which launched its remote betting licensing regime on 1 July 2026. Any operator serving Irish customers online now needs a GRAI remote betting licence. Operating without one is a criminal offence under Section 36 of the Act.

GRAI's enforcement team is actively targeting unlicensed remote operators. When the regulator engages with a non-compliant site, the operator faces a choice: apply for a licence, withdraw from Ireland, or face High Court injunctions and fines of up to €20 million or 10% of annual global turnover, whichever is higher.

Most operators served with GRAI notice have chosen to geo-block Irish IP addresses rather than face enforcement, while they either apply for a licence or exit the market permanently.

Which betting sites are blocked in Ireland?

What does GRAI enforcement look like in practice?

GRAI's enforcement team has made clear it is using both soft and hard powers. The process generally follows this pattern:

Can I use a VPN to access blocked sites?

Under Ireland's Gambling Regulation Act 2024, it is an offence to supply remote gambling services to Irish customers without a licence. The Act does not criminalise individual bettors for using an unlicensed site — but you have no legal recourse if something goes wrong.

Your rights if you have money on a blocked site

• Request a withdrawal immediately — contact the operator's support and withdraw all funds. Most sites that have voluntarily geo-blocked remain able to process outgoing withdrawals.
• Use GRAI as leverage — if the site refuses to pay out, you can submit a complaint via the GRAI complaints process. GRAI has stated it is working with geo-blocking operators on refunds.
• Payment provider chargeback — if you paid by debit card and cannot get a refund from the site, contact your bank about a chargeback under Section 75 / card dispute rules.
• Keep records — screenshot your account balance and any correspondence before the site fully closes access.

The bigger picture: €911 million and rising

Irish online betting hit a record €911.2 million in Q1 2026 alone, according to Revenue Commissioners data reported by gambling.com — before GRAI licensing was even fully in effect. The scale of unlicensed activity was significant: much of that turnover was with operators who lacked the required licence.

The enforcement actions of summer and autumn 2026 are therefore both a consumer protection measure and a significant market reshaping. Licensed operators — who have invested in compliance, age verification, responsible gambling tools, and local accountability — now compete on a level playing field that did not exist under Ireland's previous patchwork regime.

With GRAI investigating more than 100 operators and the in-person betting shop licence deadline arriving on 1 December 2026, the enforcement picture is set to become considerably clearer over the coming months. CraicBet will update this page as new operators are confirmed blocked or as previously blocked operators receive a GRAI licence and return.

What to use instead

If you have been using a site that is now blocked, the safest option is to move to one of the 39 GRAI-licensed bookmakers that have met Ireland's regulatory standards. Licensed operators must:

• Verify your age before you can bet
• Accept no credit card deposits
• Pay out winnings promptly
• Provide access to self-exclusion and spending limits
• Submit to GRAI oversight and dispute resolution

FAQs