From ‘Wild West’ to ‘Watchdog’: How Ireland's new gambling strategy puts public protection first

Launched by Minister Jim O’Callaghan TD, alongside GRAI Chair Paul Quinn and CEO Anne Marie Caulfield, this is the highly anticipated roadmap to overhaul the sector. The strategy establishes a robust, modern framework focused squarely on prevention, protection, and evidence-based regulation.

This statement again cements the message that the GRAI has been highlighting since its inception in early 2025: public safety is the GRAI's primary mandate, and the cost of non-compliance for operators will be severe.

End of the ‘Wild West’ market

The critical need for this aggressive strategy is rooted in the alarming reality of Ireland’s previous "Wild West" market. Recent evidence solidified the severity of the gambling crisis Ireland faces.

This crisis, coupled with documented high rates of youth gambling, provides the GRAI with a clear, non-negotiable purpose.

The strategy addresses this dire context directly by building its foundation around six core functional areas and strategic goals, setting the operational agenda through to 2027.

The GRAI’s six-point blueprint: A quick overview

• Licensing: Implementing a robust, phased regime for all operators (online and land-based, B2C, B2B, charitable).

• Monitoring and Compliance: Enforcing a framework for systematic checks and targeted inspections (starting July 2026).

• Enforcement: Establishing effective penalisation, including Investigations and a Civil and Criminal Enforcement Unit (planned by $\text{Q3}$ 2026).

• Consumer Protection and Awareness: Mitigating harm through research, education, communications, and the Social Impact Fund.

• People, Organisation, and Governance: Building a fit-for-purpose, independent regulator.

• Digital First: Leveraging ICT, data analytics, and secure platforms for efficient oversight.

The cost of operating in the new regime

For operators, the GRAI’s strategy is an ultimatum: adhere to the highest standards or face exclusion.

This new reality demands immediate preparation for a rigorous, phased licensing framework and significantly increased costs.

The GRAI is looking to become self-financing within three years via new licence fees and operator levies. Most critically, the industry must fund the annual Social Impact Fund to cover national problem gambling treatment.

Compliance is non-negotiable, with monitoring and inspections starting mid-2026.

Failure to comply with rules and regulations put in place by the new regime will mean licence revocations and potential criminal prosecution. The cost of operating is now linked to social responsibility.

New tools to take control

This strategy places consumer safety at the core, directly targeting problem and youth gambling.

The centrepiece is the National Gambling Exclusion Register, a mandatory, single online platform enabling individuals to easily self-exclude from all licensed online services.

Crucially, the Social Impact Fund will move beyond mere licensing to build a unified system of care. It will finance treatment, specialist training, and national referral pathways to overcome the "fragmented" services that currently leave families without support.

At the launch of the publication of the strategy statement, chairperson of the GRAI, Paul Quinn, said:

“Our work is grounded in the principles of prevention, protection, and evidence-based regulation.”

A new era of hope and accountability

The GRAI’s strategy provides a clear, actionable roadmap, setting firm deadlines such as July 2026 for systematic inspections and Q3 2026 for the launch of enforcement units.

Critically, the Authority has already taken proactive steps, for instance:

• Establishing a more progressive licensing fee.

• Signing crucial MoUs with international regulators like the UKGC and the Belgian Gaming Commission to enable cross-border enforcement.

By shifting the regulatory focus from tolerance to accountability and harm prevention, this initial strategy directly confronts Ireland’s devastating problem and youth gambling issues.

This statement feels much more than a document.

This strategy outlines the foundation for a well-regulated market that, in the words of the GAI, puts the public’s interest “at its heart”. It also offers a first step toward healing the country’s fractured relationship with gambling.