Irish Poker Players Urged to Voice Concerns Over New Gambling Regulations

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) opened a public consultation on July 30 covering three proposed regulations for online and remote gambling. The consultation closes at 3 PM on Thursday, August 20.

Under the new rules, a maximum wager of €10 and maximum winnings of €3,000 apply to relevant games. If these limits are applied to poker, many popular formats could disappear, affecting the viability of the regulated poker market in Ireland.

The GRAI took control of gambling regulation on July 1, following the introduction of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. The legislation places a €10 maximum payment and €3,000 maximum winnings limit on relevant games. David Lyons, a former Global Poker and PokerStars employee, has already submitted recommendations to the GRAI, calling for poker to be treated separately and for the regulator to consider the differences between poker and casino gambling.