Remote Bookmaker’s Licence

Timelines

• Open nowBetting licence applications have been accepted through the GRAI Operator Portal since 9 February 2026
• 1 July 2026Remote betting and remote betting intermediary licences commenced
• 28 daysMinimum period between publication of the Notice of Intention and submission
• Tiered feeSet by turnover band, payable in full at submission and non refundable
• 3 yearsLicence term. Renewal fees fall due on expiry and will be set by a subsequent regulation

Which licence do you need?

Remote means participation in gambling otherwise than in person, including by internet, telephone and other electronic means. Providing a betting activity in the State without the appropriate licence is a serious offence.

The application, step by step

The seven steps below follow the process published by GRAI, adapted to a remote application.

1. Publish the Notice of Intention

A Notice of Intention must be published before an application can be submitted. For a remote licence the notice must appear in a national newspaper, in both the printed and the online editions. It must identify the proposed licensee and state the licence type sought.

Timing

Publication must take place at least 28 days before the application is submitted. The same period applies to renewal applications.

Proof of publication

A copy of the published notice, with the newspaper title and date of publication, is sent to notices@portal.grai.ie. GRAI then publishes the notice on its website.

Templates

GRAI publishes Notice of Intent templates and accompanying guidance. These should be used in preference to bespoke wording.

Note. Documentation need not be complete at the point of publication. The 28 day period is available for preparation.

2. Prepare the documentation

Applications are assessed on financial standing and governance, and the supporting documentation carries most of the weight. The pack should be assembled before the portal form is opened.

Scope

The required documents are set out in the checklist below.

Signatures

Statutory declarations must be signed. GRAI accepts only an original signature from the proposed licensee. Electronic signatures are not accepted.

Multiple licence types

A separate declaration is required for each licence type applied for.

Note. GRAI has stated that incomplete submissions, or failure to provide all information requested at the time of submission, may delay assessment.

3. Register, submit and pay

Applications are made through the GRAI Operator Portal. Registration, completion of each section of the form and upload of supporting documents are all handled there. The full application fee is payable at the point of submission.

Portal

Registration is at services.grai.ie. Betting licence applications have been accepted through the portal since Monday 9 February 2026.

Account officers

The Account Officers, Relevant Officers and Beneficial Owners sections warrant particular attention. GRAI has identified these as the sections most often left incomplete.

Fee

Fees are tiered by turnover in the preceding year, or projected turnover for newly established operators. All payments are non refundable.

Note. Turnover for this purpose is gross win, being total income from the gambling activity less winnings paid out. For a remote betting intermediary it is the total charges paid to the licensee for providing the facility.

4. GRAI review

GRAI conducts a risk based assessment of the applicant’s suitability to provide gambling activities. Processing times vary with the complexity of the business model.

Further information

Additional information may be requested during the review.

Other authorities

GRAI may request or exchange information with other regulatory bodies and authorities as part of its due diligence.

Timelines

No indicative determination timeline has been published.

Note. A named point of contact able to respond promptly to portal queries reduces the risk of delay.

5. Corporate and officer checks

GRAI assesses the applicant’s corporate structure and carries out checks on each relevant officer and beneficial owner. Each person listed receives a separate email requesting completion of an individual application.

Required of each individual

Proof of identity and address, details of any gambling or certain non gambling licences held or previously held in any jurisdiction, details of any criminal convictions for a relevant offence, proceedings or sanctions, and tax clearance information.

Defined terms

Relevant officer and beneficial owner are defined terms under the Act. GRAI publishes separate guidance on each.

Lead time

Officers resident outside the State generally require the longest lead time for identity and tax documentation.

Note. GRAI’s published step 5 is an assessment of the suitability of premises. That step applies to in-person licences and does not arise on a remote application.

6. Decision

GRAI assesses the documentation and considers all relevant information before determining the applicant’s suitability for licensing. Applicants are notified in writing of the decision to grant or refuse a licence.

Notification

The decision issues directly to the proposed licensee.

Combined licences

A combined in-person and remote betting licence is not yet available. The two must be applied for separately.

Register

Licence details are published on the GRAI register.

7. Ongoing obligations

The licensing principles must continue to be satisfied for the duration of the licence. Failure to satisfy any requirement may lead to suspension or revocation.

Renewal

Licences run for three years. Renewal fees fall due on expiry and will be determined by a subsequent regulation. The 28 day Notice of Intention requirement applies to renewal applications.

Material changes

Changes in ownership or control, changes in the financial circumstances of the licensee, and conviction of the licensee, a relevant officer or a beneficial owner for a relevant offence.

Fee category

Where a change in financial circumstances is likely to exceed the fee category limit of the licence, a variation of licence application may also be required.

Obligations guidance

GRAI’s Guidance on Relevant Obligations (B2C) and Guidance on Advertising Obligations set out the day to day requirements.

Document checklist

Drawn from GRAI’s Licensing Application Guidelines. Open each heading for the detail.

Fees

The application fee is set on a tiered basis according to the applicant’s turnover from the relevant gambling activity in the preceding year, or projected turnover where the operator is newly established. Turnover for this purpose is gross win, being total income from the activity less winnings paid out. For a remote betting intermediary it is the total charges paid to the licensee for providing the facility.

The full fee is payable at the point of submission and all payments are non refundable. The current bands are set out in GRAI’s Application Fees Guidance, linked below. Where a change in financial circumstances is likely to exceed the fee category limit of the licence, a variation of licence application may be required.

Licences run for three years. Renewal fees become payable on expiry and will be determined by a subsequent regulation, so the renewal cost is not yet known.

GRAI guidance and forms

Links open on the GRAI website. These documents are updated from time to time, so check the version date before relying on any of them.

Questions

IBA members should seek their own independent professional or legal advice directly for assistance with a licence application.

The information on this page, and on this website, is intended as a general guide and does not constitute professional or legal advice. It is not a legal interpretation of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 or any regulations made under it. It should not be assumed that the guidance is exhaustive, nor should it be relied upon as a definitive solution for all circumstances. Readers should always seek their own legal or professional advice. Where this page differs from GRAI published guidance, the GRAI guidance applies.