Gambling in Ireland
Gambling on the internet is legal in Ireland and is one of the most liberal countries when it comes to this. It had
its start somewhat recently when it was legalized in 2003, and started offering services in 2004. It has been increasing in popularity ever since. The Irish government gives licenses to operate betting sites within Ireland, yet many are still hosted offshore for tax purposes.
A Bit of History
Gambling has a long history in the culture of Ireland, and all forms are legal throughout the country. It went unregulated for many years until things began to tighten up in 1956 with the establishment of the Gaming and Lotteries Act. This act actually made casino gambling illegal at the time, but loopholes in the law allowed for private member-only “gambling clubs” to emerge in their place. This satisfied the needs of bettors due to the lack of land-based casinos.
Wagering on sports is fully legal and very popular in Ireland. The country has a long history of horse and dog racing, and still today, there is hundreds of betting shops all over Ireland. Paddy Power is the largest bookmaker in Ireland, and is listed on the London and Irish stock exchanges. They started back in 1988, and today operate over 190 shops across the country. Sports gambling is the only form of gambling in Ireland that is taxed, which is at a low 2% rate.
Best Irish Betting Sites Accepting Players from Ireland
Attractive Features Offered By the Bookmakers We Listed
Bonuses and Promotions – Bonuses are rewards offered to new players for signing up and depositing. Each bookmaker will make them as attractive as possible, as they are competing against one another, to vie for your business. Most bonuses come in the form of a percentage on your initial deposit, anywhere from a 20%-100% match up to a certain amount set by each site. Many promotions are also offered to enhance the experience and excitement for its customers.
Depositing and Withdrawals – The Irish betting sites we list above have the best banking options available on the web. It is important to have a variety of depositing options to choose from, and the same goes for withdrawals. Each site offers a different selection but some of the options may include:
- VISA
- MoneyBookers
- Western Union
- ClickandBuy
- NETeller
- PayPal
- EuroCard
- EntroPay
- Diners Club
- Solo
- Ukash
- InstaDebit
- Checks
- Bank Wires
Customer Service and Security – Betfair and 888 both offer exceptional customer service with advance technology to insure your personal information is kept safe and secure. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact them 24/7 by e-mail, phone or often times live chat. They have a pretty quick response to e-mails and they pride themselves on customer support.
