Best casino sites in Ireland

Population: 6,5 million
Active Players: 4 million
Currency: EUR(€)
Regulated Gambling Products: online casinos, online and land-based bookmakers, horse racing, lotteries
Operator Types: online casinos, online bookmakers, betting shops
Designated Authority:  None yet (Plans to create the equivalent of the UKGC in the UK)
Status: Grey Market

If we were to count the things that make Ireland famous around the world, St. Patrick’s Day would be right on top. A local celebration that has become a universal day to sip a drink and have a good time with friends is exactly what being Irish feels like. Then there’s Guinness beer, some breathtaking landscapes and of course a love for innovation and liberty. 

A nation filled with legends of the Lucky Leprechaun and its cauldron of gold that can be found at the end of a rainbow can’t be separate from games of chance and other gambling activities. Just like Britain across the Irish Sea, the locals have a healthy appetite for gambling, with around 60% of adult citizens partaking in one form of gambling activity monthly. Couple that with gambling laws that date from 1956 and you get the overall picture of online casinos in Ireland. Luckily, the Gaming and Lotteries Act passed in 2003 made it legal for licensed online casinos to operate in Ireland. Now, the race is on to come up with a unified gambling framework and a licensing system that will regulate this activity in the country.

Did You Know That?

• The legal gambling age in Ireland is 18
• Even though land-based casinos are completely forbidden, online casinos licensed offshore are allowed to operate in Ireland.
• Several bills were presented in the past seven years to regulate the gambling environment. None was passed.
• Over 60% of Irish citizens gamble every month
• Ireland is the home country of Paddy Power bookmaker and casino

Casino Sites in Ireland

Since the online gambling framework is pretty permissive when it comes to casino sites in Ireland,  there are quite a few options for casino enthusiasts. As long as you don’t want to play at land-based casinos, there’s plenty to choose from. When it comes to enjoying a real money casino site, you have the freedom to play at any internationally-licensed venue.

Legal Casino Sites in Ireland

All the online casinos operating in Ireland are legal according to the laws that are currently in effect. This makes Irish casino enthusiasts one of the luckiest players around with so many options to choose from. No matter if they play at the domestic iGaming giant Paddy Power or they choose the services of any other casino, it’s all cool. Of course, since the Irish are quite proud of their nation, they will tell you that Paddy Power is the best online casino Ireland has to offer. And very few can really argue with that either!

International Casino Sites in Ireland

It’s no point in still asking “Does Ireland have casinos?”. This is one of the few countries that have access to all the online casinos the world can offer. As long as they are licensed by a renowned gambling regulator such as the UKGC or the MGA, operators can offer their services to Irish players. This includes top casinos like PlayoJo, Red Kings or Guns Bet, among other big names such as VideoSlots, 32Red or Mr Green.

Welcome Bonuses and Deposit Limits

If you’re all about getting big welcome bonuses, then you should aim at one of the new online casinos Ireland has on display. These new casinos need to make a good first impression to get the attention of more players. This means you could get rewards consisting of a 200% welcome bonus and a couple of hundred free spins added to the mix. Usually, the maximum bonus amount goes as high as €500 and anything over that should be treated with skepticism. The minimum deposit to enjoy the welcome bonus is €10 at most Irish online casinos.

Betting with EUR

It goes without saying that the best online casinos in Ireland have to offer the EUR as currency. Betting in your local currency comes with multiple advantages such as not having to worry about currency exchange fees. Feel free to check the list of all casinos in Ireland to see this for yourself.

How to Deposit and Withdraw on Irish Casino Sites?

With a relaxed online gambling environment, the Irish can choose from many deposit and withdrawal options. The best casino sites Ireland has to offer, display a good mix of bank transfer methods, ewallets, and mobile payment options.

Bank Transfer

Even though they don’t have a locally-developed instant bank transfer tool for depositing at online casinos, Irish players can make instant payments using their bank accounts. Through the online banking feature offered by banks like AIB, Bank of Ireland, Barclays, or Citibank, players can top-up their casino accounts. 

eWallet Options

Skrill, Paypal, and Neteller are the ewallets that remain the most popular in Ireland, as well as the rest of the world. Why develop a local ewallet when these international dominate the market and are allowed by most online casinos out there? 

Mobile Payments

When it comes to mobile payments, the Irish have borrowed from their British neighbours and use Boku quite a lot. Payforit is another pay by phone casino Ireland payment option that caught quite a lot of momentum. So, if you’re choosing a mobile casino, Ireland provides plenty of payment options for you to top-up your account. 

Cryptocurrency

Since all licensed online casinos are allowed to operate in Ireland, cryptocurrency is also on the table. If you want to make the most of playing casino games with Bitcoin, Ethereum or other cryptocurrencies, make sure to choose a safe online casino in Ireland. Check out the list on this page if you’re not sure how to choose one.

How to Create and Verify Your Account on Irish Casino Sites

Once you choose the best casino Ireland for your needs, it’s time to create an account and make your first deposit to enjoy all your favorite games and win. The registration procedure is quite simple for all Irish casinos and it pretty much goes like this:

• Access the website and look for the “Register” or “Sign Up” button
• A new window will open asking you to insert some personal details to set up your account ( Full Name, Address, Email Address, Phone number, Date of Birth, Currency and Country are the most common fields)
• Once you click “Next” you will be asked to choose a username and password for your new account
• Tick the box to agree with the T&Cs of the casino and choose the forms of contact you’re alright with
• Finish the process by clicking on “Register” one more time

The vast majority of licensed online casinos will ask you to go through a KYC procedure after registration. KYC stands for Know Your Customer and it’s something operators have to do as part of their licensing agreement. To complete the process, just send a copy of your photo ID, a recent utility bill or bank statement with your name and address on it, and copies of your card or other payment option you use. Besides making withdrawals faster and improving the security of your account, verifying also means you could get an extra casino bonus in Ireland in some cases.

What Can We Expect from Irish Gambling Law Changes?

There are advanced talks about a bill that would totally change the online gambling environment in Ireland. Ever since 2013, several bills have been discussed without any of them making it into law. However, late in 2019 an amended version of the Gaming and Lotteries Act was finally passed and this should create the proper climate for addressing important things like:

• Creating a gambling authority, similar to the UKGC
• Implement a licensing system for online casinos and bookmakers
• Push for the legalisation of land-based casinos