Four months after the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) began issuing licences on 1 July 2026, we are tracking how the public register is developing — and what Irish players can expect next.
Key Facts: GRAI Licences as of November 2026
- The GRAI began issuing licences 1 July 2026 under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024
- Only remote betting licences have been issued so far
- No casino (gaming) licences have been issued — expected from 2027–2028
- The public register is searchable at grai.ie
- CraicBet's partner holds licence GRAI-0191-RB-26-0001 (valid to 15 Sep 2029)
What Is the GRAI Licence Register?
The GRAI maintains a public register of all licence holders, searchable at grai.ie. The register shows the operator name, licence number, type of licence, issue date and expiry date. This is the authoritative source — any operator claiming to be GRAI-licensed can be verified here in seconds.
Betting Licences: Remote Bookmaking
Under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, any operator accepting online sports bets from Irish customers must hold a GRAI remote betting licence. These licences began being issued on 1 July 2026 and cover sports betting — both pre-match and in-play. They do not cover casino games, poker or other gaming products.
Operators that applied and received approval went through GRAI's vetting process, which checks ownership structures, financial stability, anti-money-laundering procedures, responsible gambling policies, age verification systems, and advertising practices. The process takes several months from application to approval.
Casino Licences: Still Pending
Under the Gambling Regulation Act, casino gaming licences are a separate phase. The GRAI has stated these are expected to follow the betting licence phase — industry commentary as of late 2026 points to 2027–2028 as the realistic window for the first casino licences.
What This Means for Irish Players
Irish players who want to place sports bets with a fully GRAI-licensed operator can do so now — betting licences are live and the register is searchable. The benefit of choosing a GRAI-licensed bookmaker over an offshore operator is that you get the full protection of Irish law: regulated deposit limits, access to the National Gambling Exclusion Register (NGER), segregated player funds, and the right to file a formal complaint with the GRAI if anything goes wrong.
For casino games, Irish players currently rely on licences from other reputable regulators — primarily the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority. These regulators have a long track record and their licences provide meaningful player protection, though not the specific Irish statutory rights that a GRAI licence will eventually provide.
CraicBet's Position
CraicBet is Ireland's independent betting and casino guide. Our partner bookmaker holds GRAI remote betting licence GRAI-0191-RB-26-0001, issued 16 September 2026 and valid to 15 September 2029. We will continue tracking the GRAI register and updating our GRAI register tracker as new licences are issued.
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