The Evolution of Irish Casinos Online

The taboo of gambling overshadows pretty much everything, even putting the word gamble into any text still comes with hesitation because the taboo makes for uncomfortable reading. So, given this is all about gambling and the laws surrounding it, here in Ireland, best not to shy away from the fact and like a band-aid, the quicker we pull it off and tackle the honest subject, the less painful it will be to read about it. 

Do You Gamble and are You Aware of the Laws that Allow it?

It would be a fair assumption to presume that not many people know of the laws that dictate how they are able to gamble and gamble online, more specifically. If it is legal, then that is all there is to know, and so be it. 

Another assumption would be to conclude that not many players actually know where their online casino is based. If you’re guessing right now that it is the UK, then you’re incorrect. In fact, many of the casinos you see online or advertised on the telly are virtually based in Europe! With Ireland still being part of the EU, this allows them to remain tied with the markets that will benefit the players from Ireland wishing to remain in their registered casino. 

Now, there are two gambling markets that influence Ireland: its own law, and the EU laws. So, how do they compare and who benefits?

Irish Gambling Laws

Currently, players in Ireland are backed by the gambling laws that date back to 1931 with the Betting Act and later in 1956, the Gaming and Lottery Act 1956.

Each legislation since has been updated with the times, from gaming permits to licensing, the fundamentals of the laws have moved with the times. The Irish laws are there solely for Irish business, looking after bookmakers, remote firms and intermediary firms that place bets on the behalf of other people, i.e., the lottery. 

With EU law, Ireland is bracketed with all other nations, regarding a unilateral law that oversees the same freedoms of play for all nationalities under the Commission’s EU policy. This covers the eligibility to access all of Europe’s online casinos and have the same expected laws on money laundering. 

This total freedom as a country to control its own laws and to be part of the wider EU community puts players in a very enviable position. If we look at the example of India, where there is no freedom. The Indian gambling laws started in 1867 when under the occupation of British rule. Prior to that, gambling was a popular thing, but once the British came and went, their degrading opinion of gambling remained.

Compare the situation to India, where Indian players can only gamble at online ‘foriegn’ casinos using sites like https://www.casinos-india.in/, which act as a gateway to a variety of casinos that are accessible to Indian players.  Happily, the Indian gambling law makes no reference to online services, other than they are banned from advertising their products. Without this window into foreign casinos, there would be no online gambling movement in one of the world’s most populated countries. 

Ireland was once like India, but the progression to modernise was more proactive in its efforts, sure it took its time to happen and during the course of this it could have improved, but where Ireland is now compared to the 1800s, a clear progression of thought and understanding of what the public wants has been adhered to. 

Players can freely gamble in land-based casinos in Ireland, as well as within the regulated EU sites.

Sports Betting Features

One of the great Irish passions is, without a doubt, sports betting.

Sports betting has the longest history in Ireland. For this reason, the country’s first gambling legislation focused on this activity. The Gambling Act of 1931 governed all sports betting until 2015. Sports betting, especially horse-racing, was the most common form of gambling among Irish citizens. The 1931 law was eventually updated with the latest and most relevant modern gambling law, known as the Gambling Act (Amendment Act) in 2015. This law was enacted to provide resources for informal sporting events. The bill was to make betting ranges and exchanges part of Irish licensing policy and tax requirements. The law fundamentally changed the standard betting licenses to include long term limited betting with income restrictions. This law prohibits online gambling companies from offering their services to Irish citizens without first obtaining a gambling company or a bookmaker’s license. Specific licensing requirements and procedures were set out in the Gaming (Amendments) Act 2015.

Overseas Online Casinos

Overseas casinos recently recorded their highest numbers as more casinos claimed their online license from the regulators, leading to more options appeared on the web. The high street interest in Galway’s casinos understandable depleted with Caesars Palace, Eglington Casino and Claudes Casinos temporarily shutting down. If you pursue an interest, then take advantage of the opportunities you have with Ireland and Galway remaining in the EU markets. Hundreds upon hundreds of options are available to pick from, giving you the choice of casino gaming, sports betting and much more.