Ireland to raise pool betting duty in preparation for market expansion
More betting operators will be able to enter the Irish pools betting space.
Ireland.- The Irish government has announced its intention to raise pool betting duty from 1 to 2 per cent, aligning it with the existing tax rate for retail and online betting. Finance minister Paschal Donohoe made the announcement during his 2026 budget presentation to the Dáil Éireann, but it will not apply until the 2027 budget.
The move comes amid plans to expand Ireland’s pool betting market under the terms of the new Irish Gambling Regulation Act enabled in November of last year. Currently the only operators are Tote Ireland DAC for horse racing and Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) for greyhound racing, but the new regulatory framework, overseen by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), will allow other operators to enter the market.
Donohoe said: “The new Gambling Regulatory Authority will be responsible for licensing and supervising the betting sector. Pool betting is restricted to just two entities currently, but under the new regime, a wide range of licenceholders may be authorised to engage in pool betting.
“I am concerned that betting operators may be incentivised to modify their business structures to avoid liability to betting duty, so I will legislate in budget 2027 for a separate pool betting duty charge. This will provide time for engagement between my Department and relevant stakeholders on the design and structure of this duty.”
The horse racing sector is likely to oppose the proposed duty hike. Financial pressures since smaller tracks are already facing financial strain amid rising operational costs and declining media rights income. The industry remains reliant on annual levies paid by bookmakers, and stakeholders such as Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), Tote Ireland, and Irish Greyhounds have urged the government to preserve control of these funds.
Operational since March, the GRAI has conducted a consultation with prospective operators after inviting expressions of interest for online gambling licences and has released licence application guidelines for both Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B) companies interested in applying to operate under the country’s reformed regulated gambling framework. It expects to open the window for licence applications in the second half of the year, with the regulated market to go live in 2026.
Until then, the GRAI has advised businesses to maintain compliance with existing laws. Operators may apply for or renew licences through the Revenue Commissioners under the legacy frameworks of the Betting Act 1931 and the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956. The authority said that applications for lottery permits and licences would continue to be assessed by the District Courts and An Garda Síochána until new procedures are in place.
