PAYMENT METHODS AND ONLINE CASINOS IN IRELAND
Top Casinos and Best Banking Options for Irish Players
Historically speaking, the Irish were not immune to the attractions of gambling, especially since their neighbours across the sea to the east were already enchanted by it when they conquered the island in the 17th-century. Thanks to the British, betting on games of chance such as horse racing, blackjack and roulette became popular in Ireland, and some activities became an integral part of Irish life.
The Emerald Isle is famous for its green countryside, rich history and pubs stocked with whiskey and Guinness. But if you ask a local gambler, he will probably point out the popularity of horse racing and greyhound racing. Let’s not forget about the saying “the luck of the Irish” – during the Gold Rush most miners who struck it rich were either Irish or of Irish descent.
The laws passed in 1956 deemed casinos illegal in the country. These acts still stand but are bypassed by the fact that all the land-based casinos in Ireland are established as “private gambling clubs” and not traditional casinos. Visitors must be members and the membership is free and merely a formality. You Irish are quite clever, aren’t you? Must be all that cunning leprechaun folklore.
The current climate in Ireland is very favourable when it comes to online gambling. The industry emerged slowly and its current presence is strong across the Irish nation. Both online casino gambling and sportsbook betting were legalised, which is why Casino Banking Methods was all over the market, digging to bring you a comprehensive guide to the best online casinos and banking methods in Ireland.
Best Irish Online Casinos
The gambling system in the country is going through a process of modernisation; after several changes and reforms, the Irish gambling ecosystem now offers some excellent online casino options for gambling fans based in the Emerald Isle. CBM is confident that you will have a smooth and enjoyable gambling session if you sign up to any of these licensed, trusted casino sites for Irish gamblers. Why? Because these have proved to be the best of the best.
Casumo
18+ | New Customers Only | Opt-in required. 20 Bonus Spins on “Sahara Riches Cash Collect” and 100% Deposit Bonus up to £25 on first deposit. Min deposit £10. 30x wagering requirement for Bonus Spins and 30x wagering requirement for Deposit Bonus (game weighting applies). Max £5/spin or £0.50/line or £10/round (live casino). 30 days expiry. Please Gamble responsibly begambleaware.org
T&C Apply- Free deposits & withdrawals
- Reel Races
- Evolution & Playtech live dealers
18+ | New Customers Only | Opt-in required. 20 Bonus Spins on “Sahara Riches Cash Collect” and 100% Deposit Bonus up to £25 on first deposit. Min deposit £10. 30x wagering requirement for Bonus Spins and 30x wagering requirement for Deposit Bonus (game weighting applies). Max £5/spin or £0.50/line or £10/round (live casino). 30 days expiry. Please Gamble responsibly begambleaware.org
T&C Apply
Royal Panda
18+ | New Customers Only |
T&C Apply- Impeccable reputation
- Fast cashouts
- Impressive live casino
18+ | New Customers Only |
T&C Apply
Top Casino Banking Methods in Ireland
Great games, user-friendly website, super bonuses, customer support always on stand-by – that’s all splendid. But how’s the banking? That’s precisely what we’ve been wondering. And we’ve solved the mystery surrounding the top online banking methods for Ireland. If you want to play for real money at the top casinos for Irish players, make sure that you also select the best payment options when you deposit. We present them below.
Review & Best Casinos
- Good option for UK players
- Extremely convenient
- Bank account not required
Review & Best Casinos
- Trusted around the world
- Fast casino withdrawals
- Great option for UK, SE, IT, ES
Review & Best Casinos
- Instant casino deposits
- Excellent reputation
- Great option for Sweden, Finland
Review & Best Casinos
- Fast casino transactions
- Available around the globe
- 165 supported currencies
Review & Best Casinos
- A leading payment solution
- Maximum security
- Fast & easy casino transactions
Review & Best Casinos
- Fast casino payments
- Available around the globe
- Designed with iGaming focus
Review & Best Casinos
- Available around the globe
- Designed with iGaming focus
- Fast deposits & withdrawals
Review & Best Casinos
- Instant deposits & withdrawals
- Safe and reliable e-Wallet
- Widely accepted at casinos
Laws and Regulations on Online Gambling in Ireland?
Land-based casinos are a no-no, but online sports betting sites and online casino are both legalised in the past decade in Ireland. The law permits both local and offshore operators to enter the market, which means there are Irish online casinos aplenty. You just need to know where to look, and we are here to help you with that.
The first gambling laws were passed shortly after the Irish independence, but the most significant acts of law came after World War II. The Gaming and Lotteries Act was passed in 1956 and it established the basic regulations related to all forms of gambling in Ireland. Online gambling in the country has been officially legal since 2015, when the Betting (Amendment) Act was passed. So, the remote gambling industry has been open for both offshore and Irish operators for several years now and the business is going great.
The Betting (Amendment) Act of 2015 allows residents of the country to enjoy online casinos, sports betting, daily fantasy, lotteries and online poker. Which bodies are in charge of managing internet gambling in Ireland? Well, there is no specific gambling regulatory body in the country just yet. Online betting is regulated by the Revenue Commissioners. Lotteries are regulated by the Regulator of the National Lottery, An Garda Síochána (Republic of Ireland police), or the District Court. All operators within the Irish market must comply with the obligations of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.
We have to mention another piece of legislation which is the Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act of 2019. The act was passed in 2019, but it came into effect on December 1st 2020. The main purpose behind it was to update the significantly outdated prize and stake limits, as well as introduce a standardised minimum age of 18 for all forms of betting. Another aspect of the Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill of 2019 is launching a new regulator entity. Ireland’s Minister for Justice stated that the launch of the country’s new gambling regulator will be delayed until at least 2021.
Can Casinos That Accept Irish Players Be Trusted?
As we’ve mentioned earlier, gambling online is fully legal in Ireland. You can play blackjack, poker, slots, roulette and baccarat online while you are in Ireland, without having to worry about breaking any laws. While waiting for a governing body to be established in the country, Irish residents have access to casino operators based in the nearby UK, as well as other EU gambling hotspots like Malta. These sites are licensed and can be trusted, as they are internationally reputed online casinos.
Powered by software from a number of leading online casino software companies, trustworthy Irish casinos online provide a secure environment for real money play without any reason to doubt them. The employment of the industry-standard encryption technology in combination with licensing by reputed authorities makes casinos secure and worth trying out. Feel free to check out casino websites with licenses obtained from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) or the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) until the local licensing authority arrives. The government oversees the websites that operate in the Irish market and offshore licensing bodies are accepted for the moment.
Best Casino Bonuses for Irish Players
If you join a premium online casino for Irish players, you expect stellar bonus offers that go with it, don’t you? Perfectly understandable. We have thought of this, as well, and while we were exploring the casino platforms and looked into banking methods, we’ve also singled out some of the most attractive and lucrative bonus options for Irish players we could find. Take a look at our selection and enjoy the exclusive Irish casino bonus perks.
Winz.io
Free Spins
SLOTS
None
Ongoing
€20
No
PlayUZU
Free Spins
Not needed
None
Ongoing
$10
No maximum
PlayOJO
Free Spins
No Wagering
Welcome Package
None
Ongoing
€10
No maximum
5% Live Casino Cashback
Cashback
No Wagering
Not required
None
Ongoing
€2
No maximum
Boom
Deposit
Free Spins
Not needed
1x
Ongoing
€20
No maximum
35% Instant Cashback
Cashback
Not required
10x
Ongoing
$10
No maximum
Gambola
No Wagering
Not needed
None
Ongoing
€10
No maximum
Neon 54
Cashback
Not Needed
1x
Ongoing
€20
Local Payment Methods to Consider
Making a correct banking choice when playing online casino games can make or break your online gambling experience. That is why we pay special attention to this aspect of online casino sites. Each individual market comes with some locally accepted methods that players have rated as the most convenient and the easiest to use. Online gamblers from Ireland have a wide choice of alternatives when it comes to deposits and withdrawals to casinos on the web, but some of the methods that stand out more than others are PayPal, Paysafecard, Boku, Zimpler, Monzo, Payforit, Bitcoin, Revolut, Skrill and Neteller.
The Irish audience values electronic wallets, prepaid cards, mobile-compatible payment solutions, as well as the anonymity that comes with crypto. PayPal and Paysafecard are favoured in this part of Europe for their convenience and proven record with the users. Neteller and Skrill battle for supremacy with PayPal, but still have a loyal following in a lot of active players. The Monzo app has a tool to help people self-exclude from gambling when things start getting out of hand, which is a great feature. If you prefer pay-by-phone options, Boku is a fantastic method to benefit from. Also, Revolut provides a great deal of flexibility and has a growing list of features (such as buying cryptocurrency, for example).
Depositing with EUR Currency
In the Republic of Ireland, the official currency is the Euro. It replaced the Irish Pound in 2002, so if you gamble in Ireland with EUR currency, you don’t even have to think about conversion and pesky exchange fees. All the casinos oriented towards Irish players will allow making deposits in Euros, as they will probably want to attract other European bettors to join and play in their local currency as well.
With an account open at any of the recommended Irish real money casinos, you will be able to make deposits and request withdrawals in the official European currency without additional expenses. While doing so, make sure that you adhere to the minimum and maximum limits of the casino. In many cases, the minimum deposit of €10 will activate a bonus and give you a favourable head start.
Fun Facts
- Gambling is big business and is becoming almost a part of everyday life in Ireland. The market is estimated at around €1.1 billion per year.
- Irish themes are some of the most popular in online slots. Anyone who enjoys playing slot machines online knows about Irish Clover, Irish Riches and Irish Frenzy, as well as Book of the Irish and many others.
- More than 40% of the Irish adult population plays the National Lottery regularly, and approximately 12% of Irish adults bet with a bookmaker every week.
- The Irish nation gambled an estimated €9.8bn in 2019 or an estimated €379.51 per head of population.
- Ireland has the most horses per person in Europe and is in the top four producers of racing horses in the world. The Emerald Isle is renowned for its horse racing events and established jockeys.
- Gaelic football or “Caid” is the most popular sport in Ireland and the subject of many sports bets with major bookmakers. The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) established an official playing code for the game no earlier than the 19th century.
- Famous Irish gamblers include John O’Shea (became famous in 2013 when his documentary “The Gambler” was aired on TV), Barney Curley (achieved the highest betting winnings in the Irish gambling history, won €18 million as a result of a four-hour horse bet), Dara O’Kearney (ranked second in the official Irish Poker Rankings various times).
FAQ
What is the minimum gambling age in Ireland?
The minimum legal gambling age in the Republic of Ireland is 18. According to the Irish laws, a minor aged under 18 years cannot even buy a lottery ticket or make a bet at any of the gambling establishments both offline and online.
Can I get help in Ireland if I think I am becoming a problem gambler?
The Irish government encourages responsible gambling and there are many entities you can turn to for qualified help regarding irresponsible, potentially harmful gambling habits. You can contact Problem Gambling Ireland (www.problemgambling.ie), Gamblers Anonymous (www.gamblersanonymous.ie) or Crosscare.
Do I need to verify my Irish online casino account?
Yes, surely at some point (upon registration or when withdrawing winning for the first time). Both the UK and the International Gambling law require that all users are verified before they can withdraw funds from a gambling account. This is primarily to protect against money laundering but also provides a level of protection.
What are the minimum and maximum stakes at Irish online casinos?
Stakes depend on the specific games you are playing. The minimum and maximum deposit and withdrawal limits will be presented in the terms and conditions and/or the banking page of the casino website.
How to choose the best online casino banking method in Ireland?
Pay attention to your preferences and priorities. Ask yourself what you value the most – is it speed, absence of fees, security, anonymity or convenience and familiarity. Luckily, if you are based in Ireland, you can use a lot of good and trusted payment methods, such as PayPal, Payforit, Boku, Zimpler and others.
Where are online casinos in Ireland licensed?
At the time of writing, online casinos that cater to Irish gamblers are mostly licensed by the UKGC, the MGA, the AGCC or the jurisdiction of Gibraltar. Certain permits are issued by Revenue Commissioners. An Irish national regulatory body for internet gambling licensing is expected to be established sometime in 2021.