Funding shortfall pushes Ireland’s online casino licensing into 2027
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) asked for €26 million for 2026 and received €13.35 million, with a further €2.8 million added by the Department of Justice in August. As a result, licensing of online casino and slots is postponed, and operator registration systems are now expected to go live in early 2027, Focus Gaming News and CasinoBeats reported on 1 and 2 October.
Key points
- GRAI requested €26m for 2026 and received €13.35m, plus €2.8m in August
- The Department of Justice calls the allocation a 92% increase on 2025
- Online casino and slots licensing is postponed; registration systems expected in early 2027
- GRAI warns of very limited capacity for compliance and enforcement
What GRAI said
The regulator said a number of key objectives will need to be deferred or reduced in scope, and that it will have very limited capacity for compliance and enforcement work. Even so, dozens of operators have blocked Irish users after GRAI action, including two major prediction markets, according to the reports.
Why it matters
Ireland is a sizeable market: CasinoBeats puts annual turnover at €12–14 billion. For operators and suppliers planning a licensed launch, the timeline has moved by months, and the order in which licence types open is still to be confirmed.
What to plan for
Keep Irish launch plans flexible and prepare the content list now, so certified games can be switched on when registration opens. With the IGP casino API content is enabled per market, so a delayed market does not hold up the rest of the roadmap.
Switch markets on when they open
150+ providers and 18,000+ games through one integration, with availability set per market.
See the casino API →Based on reporting by Focus Gaming News (1 October 2026) and CasinoBeats (2 October 2026). Dates are the regulator’s current expectations and may change.