Where this fits in the rollout
GRAI's licensing rollout is phased by category, not launched all at once. Remote betting and betting intermediary licences — covering online and phone betting — began issuing 1 July 2026. In-person betting licences, covering physical betting shops, are confirmed by GRAI to commence later in 2026, following the same pattern: the framework exists in the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, but each category opens for applications on its own schedule.
What actually changes at a betting shop
Once in-person licensing takes effect, physical venues take on the same core obligations already in force for remote operators: verified age checks before allowing betting, a ban on facilitating credit or accepting credit cards, obligations to pay out winnings promptly, and requirements around closing a customer's account on request — all under GRAI's ongoing compliance monitoring, with the same enforcement powers (investigation, sanctions, and action against unlicensed activity) that apply to remote operators.
Why betting shops specifically, and why after remote
Betting — as opposed to casino-style gaming — was prioritised first for both remote and (upcoming) in-person licensing, reflecting betting's larger existing share of the regulated Irish market under the old Revenue-run system. In-person venues follow remote ones by design: applying lessons from the initial rollout to physical premises, which involve different considerations (staffing, premises inspection, local presence) that online-only operators don't.
Related reading
See does GRAI cover online casino or just betting for the equivalent remote-side distinction, and the homepage timeline for every rollout milestone in order.