From Europe to Asia, online gambling has become a major force around the world.
- 24 percent of adults have gambled online in the last 4 weeks
- 4.2 billion people gamble at least once a year
Ireland is no exception when it comes to online gambling. In Ireland, online gambling has become a much-loved pastime, with many people having it as a hobby. Whether it’s a weekday or the weekend, online gambling is a big hit with Irish people.
However, this raises an important question: what are the online gambling laws in Ireland? Below is a very brief guide for what you need to know regarding online gambling in Ireland.
Yes – online gambling is legal in Ireland
Firstly, it’s important to establish that online gambling is legal. However, websites and apps must abide by several different rules:
- They must hold a valid Irish gambling licence or a remote gambling licence supplied by a respected authority (such as the UK Gambling Commission)
- Players must be over 18. If gambling apps or websites were to encourage under 18 users to join them, this would be breaking the law!
So, if you live in Ireland and are over the age of 18, you’re perfectly within your rights to gamble online as long as you use an official website or app, so have a look for a real money slots app. Make sure to explore the internet and find which websites and games appeal to you the most.
Gambling tax in Ireland is 1%
This might come as a surprise to the reader, but the gambling tax in Ireland is 1% – the lowest gambling tax rate in the entire EU! This is great news for players and the gambling companies, as it encourages more people to try gambling online.
Is online gambling legal throughout the EU?
As an Irish person, you might travel abroad during holiday seasons or at weekends. When this is the case, you’ll want to know whether online gambling is legal in other EU countries. Here’s what you need to know:
Right now, there is no specific legislation in the EU governing online gambling services.
Essentially, what this means is that online gambling websites and apps are 100% legal throughout all EU countries providing they abide by the laws and guidelines mentioned above.
So, if you were to travel to another country, you can absolutely continue to gamble online providing you do so with an officially licensed provider!
Conclusion
Thanks for reading this article surrounding online gambling laws in Ireland and the EU more broadly. Now, you know that online gambling is legal in Ireland, which is why it’s so popular. In fact, the Irish are the 4th most popular gamblers in the EU, which is interesting to know.
Moving forward, make sure to only use officially licensed gambling websites and apps. Whether you’re a fan of online poker or online slots, it’s absolutely essential that you do this to stay safe.
Stay safe, have fun, and gamble responsibly!