Ireland's Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRAI) received €13.35 million for 2026 instead of the €26 million it requested. The funding shortfall has pushed the launch of online casino and slot licensing to early 2027 and suspended enforcement work against unlicensed offshore operators. The regulator estimates Ireland's gambling market generates €12–14 billion in annual turnover.
In a March letter to Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan, GRAI warned that the €12 million gap would force delays on key tasks. The authority plans to become self-funding within three years but lacks the resources to deploy supervision now. The Department of Justice responded that the budget had grown 92% year-on-year and that managing allocated funds was the regulator's responsibility.
GRAI said it would need to scale back black-market monitoring to the minimum. That could complicate compliance with FATF standards on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing. The regulator has already secured blocks against dozens of operators, including two large prediction-market platforms and an international casino, but had to reallocate staff and draw on an additional €2.8 million the ministry released in August.
Operators expecting to register in 2026 now face at least a year's delay. For affiliates, Ireland's regulated market remains closed while unlicensed offers stay under pressure, though enforcement is limited. GRAI has requested the right to retain application fees from betting operators; no decision has been made.
