What GRAI Requires
GRAI (Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland) became operational on 1 July 2026. The underlying legislation — the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 — mandates that all remote betting licensees provide a full suite of player protection tools. These are not optional features; they are legal obligations.
Operators who fail to offer these tools, or who make them difficult to access, are in breach of their licence conditions and face fines, licence suspension or revocation. When evaluating a betting or casino site, verifying that these tools are present and accessible is a meaningful quality check.
Deposit Limits
Deposit limits cap the total amount you can transfer into your account over a set period (daily, weekly or monthly). They are the most commonly used responsible gambling tool and among the most effective for controlling spending.
GRAI rules:
- All licensed operators must offer deposit limits.
- Reductions take effect immediately.
- Increases require a minimum 24-hour cooling-off period before activation.
- Operators must not circumvent limits or encourage customers to increase them.
See our step-by-step deposit limit guide for instructions.
Session Time Limits
Session time limits automatically log you out of your account after a chosen period — 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, etc. Combined with deposit limits, they address two dimensions of harm: how much you spend and how long you spend doing it.
Setting a session time limit is straightforward: access your Responsible Gambling settings, find Time Limit or Session Limit, and set your preferred maximum. The system enforces it automatically, even if you are mid-game.
Reality Checks
A reality check is an on-screen pop-up notification that appears at set intervals while you are actively playing — typically every 30 or 60 minutes. It displays:
- How long you have been in the current session.
- Your net win/loss for the session (not all operators show this, but many do).
- A prompt asking if you want to continue or end the session.
Reality checks do not stop you from continuing. Their value is breaking the engagement loop — interrupting the automatic quality of a session and re-engaging your decision-making. Research suggests they are most effective when set to shorter intervals (30 minutes rather than 2 hours).
Cooling-Off Periods
A cooling-off period is a temporary voluntary account suspension that you activate yourself. It differs from self-exclusion in several ways:
| Feature | Cooling-Off | Self-Exclusion |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 24 hours to 6 weeks | Minimum 6 months |
| Reinstatement | After cooling-off ends | After full period + process |
| Mandatory cooling-off on reinstatement | Usually not | Yes (by regulation) |
| Appropriate for | Short break or pause | Serious concern about gambling behaviour |
Self-Exclusion
Self-exclusion is the strongest available tool. All GRAI-licensed operators must offer it, with a minimum period of 6 months. GRAI also operates the National Gambling Exclusion Register (NGER) — a single registration that excludes you from all participating licensed operators.
See our comprehensive self-exclusion guide for step-by-step instructions.
Affordability Checks
Under GRAI requirements, operators must monitor customer spending patterns and may request financial information from customers spending at higher levels. The purpose is to identify customers at risk of financial harm before it becomes severe. This is a proactive operator obligation — it does not wait for a customer to self-report a problem.
Affordability checks are designed to be proportionate and unobtrusive for typical players. They become more active at higher spending thresholds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Responsible Gambling Tools Available in Ireland
| Tool | What it does | How to access |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit limits | Cap how much you can deposit per day/week/month | Account → Responsible Gambling |
| Loss limits | Cap losses in a time period | Account → Responsible Gambling |
| Reality check / Time alerts | Notifications after set gambling session length | Account settings |
| Self-exclusion | Block account access for set period | Account or contact support |
| Self-exclusion via GRAI | National Gambling Exclusion Register (future) | grai.ie once live |
| Cooling-off period | Temporary account restriction | Account → Responsible Gambling |
Where to Get Help in Ireland
- Gambling Awareness Trust: Freephone 1800 753 753 (free, confidential)
- gamblingcare.ie: online counselling and resources
- Gamblers Anonymous Ireland: gamblersanonymous.ie — free peer support groups
- Problem Gambling Ireland: problemgambling.ie
- GRAI complaints: grai.ie — if an operator isn't providing mandatory tools
18+ | Help is free and confidential | Gambling Awareness Trust: 1800 753 753
Deposit limits, session time limits, reality checks, cooling-off periods and self-exclusion. All must be accessible, free to use, and operators must not discourage their use.
An on-screen notification at set intervals telling you how long you've been playing and your session spend. It prompts you to decide whether to continue. Most effective when set to shorter intervals (30 minutes).
A temporary voluntary account suspension, typically 24 hours to 6 weeks. Shorter and less formal than self-exclusion; use it for a short break rather than a serious gambling concern.
GRAI restricts marketing to customers who have set responsible gambling tools. Contacting a self-excluded customer with promotions is a regulatory breach operators can be fined for.
Look in Account Settings for Responsible Gambling, Safer Gambling, Player Protection or My Limits. The 18+ footer icon usually links there. If you can't find them, contact support — all GRAI-licensed sites must assist.