Legal Online Gambling in Ireland
With numerous changes happening in nearby Australia, many players from Ireland are once again wondering about the legality of online gambling in their own country. Simply put, for many Ireland residents it is very important they feel reassured and safe when playing their favorite games at an online casino and they want to know for sure if they’re breaking any laws.
To put your mind at ease immediately, as a player, you’re doing nothing wrong when gambling online from Ireland. There are no laws prohibiting such activities for private citizens so you’ll face no legal consequences for playing at your favorite online casino.
With that out of the way, let’s cover some other aspects and rules governing online casinos in Ireland.
Are There any Locally Licensed Ireland Online Casinos?
At this point in time, all online gambling activities in Ireland are covered by the Gambling Act of 2003. The act doesn’t provide for the possibility of acquiring local gambling licenses in the country, so there are no online casinos operating in Ireland. From the legal standpoint, it would be against the law to set up such an operation.
However, there is nothing in the law preventing offshore casinos from offering their services to Kiwi players. International casinos are fully within their rights to cater to players from Ireland and, conversely, players are fully entitled to play at an offshore casino of their choosing and keep any winnings that result from such play.
Picking Good Online Casinos in Ireland
Since there is no local licensing body taking care of online casinos for Irelanders, it is down to the players to make their own choices and decisions. There are hundreds of online casinos welcoming Irish as Ireland is considered a rather popular market, but there are differences between various operators.
The first thing you need to look for is the licensing information. Although there are no local licenses, you should stick to international operators licensed by bodies such as the Malta Gaming Authority and the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner. Online casinos featuring these licenses are usually solid and reputable businesses that you can trust with your money and sensitive information.
Other than this, you should also stick to the ones giving you good welcome bonuses and other promotions, as this is bound to improve your overall experience and boost your winning chances. Once again, since Ireland is a very attractive market, you’ll find quite a few online casinos offering competitive promos and bonuses to attract Irish to their sites.
You can read our online casino reviews to find a good and trustable casino to play at.
Play Online & Have Fun
So, if you’re gambling online from Ireland, there is nothing to worry about, as it is perfectly legal for you to do so. The only thing you should worry about is having fun and playing with a reputable casino to avoid other complications you could face from rogue operators.
Other than this, it is also worth noting that gambling winnings in Ireland are not taxable in a majority of cases. The only exception to this rule has to do with professional gamblers who gamble for a living. For everybody else, you’re free to keep and enjoy whatever you happen to win!
Check out our section for new online casinos.
