Can influencers advertise gambling brands in Ireland?

Only under a specific restriction: under Section 146 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, an influencer or content creator cannot advertise a licensee's content unless the person seeing it already follows both the influencer and the licensee on the same social media platform. It doesn't ban influencer marketing outright, but it removes the ability to reach non-followers or use algorithmic discovery — no paid reach to new audiences through an influencer.

What counts as 'incidental' advertising that's still allowed?

GRAI's guidance describes incidental advertising as a licensee's trademark, logo, or sponsorship being visible or audible at an event — for example, on stadium signage during a match broadcast — without breaching the advertising restrictions. This is different from a deliberate promotional post or endorsement.

Can gambling brands sell merchandise with their logo?

Not for children. The Act specifically prohibits selling or providing clothing or merchandise carrying a gambling activity's branding, name, logo, or trademark where it's intended to be worn or used by a child.

Does this apply to all social media platforms?

GRAI's guidance frames the rule around any social media or video-sharing platform, using Instagram as its explicit worked example — a licensee's content can't be advertised by an influencer unless the recipient follows both the influencer and the licensee's own account on that same platform.

Gambling Advertising on Social Media & by Influencers in Ireland

The actual rule

Section 146 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 restricts licensees from engaging others — influencers, content creators — to advertise gambling content on their behalf on social media or video-sharing platforms. GRAI's guidance gives a specific, worked mechanism: an influencer's content about a licensee can only reach someone who already follows both the influencer and the licensee's own account on that same platform.

What this actually blocks: algorithmic discovery and paid reach through an influencer. A sponsored post can no longer function as a way to reach an influencer's whole audience or platform-suggested viewers — only people who've independently chosen to follow the brand directly are legally reachable this way.

What still counts as fine: "incidental" advertising

GRAI's guidance carves out incidental exposure — a licensee's logo, trademark, or sponsorship being visible or audible at an event, such as stadium signage during a match broadcast. The distinction is intent and format: passive visibility at a sponsored event isn't the same as a deliberate promotional post or paid endorsement.

Merchandise aimed at children

A related, specific prohibition: operators can't sell or provide clothing or merchandise carrying a gambling brand's name, logo, or trademark where it's intended to be worn or used by a child. This sits alongside the broader age verification and underage gambling protections already covered on this site.

Why GRAI built the rule this way

The "follow both accounts" mechanism is a deliberate design choice, not an accident of drafting — it converts gambling advertising on social platforms from a broadcast/discovery model (reaching people who've never encountered the brand) into an opt-in model (reaching only people who've already actively chosen to connect with the brand directly). It's the social-media equivalent of the requirement elsewhere in the Act that adults must opt in to receive marketing communications at all.

Gambling advertising on social media and by influencers

The actual rule

What still counts as fine: "incidental" advertising

Merchandise aimed at children

Why GRAI built the rule this way

Related reading