Ireland’s betting industry is undergoing a significant transformation, with digital platforms accounting for a growing share of activity while traditional bookmakers face pressure from changing consumer habits. The shift extends beyond where people place bets, influencing how frequently they bet, how many operators they use, and which products they access.
Players Time analyzed the latest available figures from Ireland’s Revenue Commissioners, Horse Racing Ireland and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), including research published on 4 November 2026. The findings point to a market increasingly driven by online engagement, with annual betting turnover exceeding €5 billion and new evidence raising questions about consumer protection.
Online betting accounts become the norm
The ESRI’s latest survey of 1,000 gamblers found that 77% had gambled online during the preceding year, compared with 59% who had gambled in person. Another 44% used both channels, demonstrating that online betting has expanded consumer choice without entirely replacing physical betting shops.
Multiple accounts are another defining feature. Some 54% of respondents who opened an online gambling account subsequently opened a second, while approximately 10% of online gamblers held at least four accounts. Competitive odds, straightforward registration, and promotional offers were among the reasons for opening additional accounts.
€5.17 billion in annual betting turnover
The latest annual figures for the combined retail and remote betting market put turnover at €5.17 billion in 2024. Remote betting accounted for €2.83 billion, or 54.7%, while traditional betting shops generated €2.34 billion. Compared with 2018, remote turnover increased by 31.7%, whereas retail turnover declined by 18.5%.
These figures, published by the Irish Bookmakers Association using Revenue data, measure the total value of bets placed rather than operators’ net revenue. The difference is important because turnover includes money subsequently returned to customers as winnings.
Horse racing records higher betting activity in 2025
Horse racing provides more recent evidence of activity at physical betting venues. Horse Racing Ireland reported that Tote betting turnover reached €81.3 million in 2025, representing a 7.2% annual increase. Off-course betting on Irish pools rose by 9% to €62.8 million, while racecourse attendance increased by 6% to 1.316 million spectators.
These figures demonstrate that traditional racing retains substantial consumer interest despite the wider movement towards digital betting. They also highlight the different trajectories of the broader betting-shop market and specialised horse-racing products.
Online betting growth raises regulatory concerns
The November 2026 ESRI findings reveal that nearly four in ten customers who initially opened accounts for horse racing or sports betting subsequently tried other products, including casino games and slots. Marketing also plays a measurable role: approximately one in seven respondents reported that their latest online gambling session followed an advertisement, email or app notification.
Consumer protection represents another challenge. Some 26% of online gamblers described losing a lot of money during their most recent session, compared with 17% of in-person gamblers. One-quarter of surveyed gamblers were either attempting to reduce their gambling or planning to do so. Ireland’s regulatory landscape changed significantly in February 2026, when the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland began accepting applications under the new betting licensing framework. The legislation introduces measures covering credit-card payments, spending limits and online account protections.
The figures indicate that Ireland’s betting market is not simply expanding online; its underlying consumer behavior is changing. For operators, the challenge is balancing digital competitiveness with increasingly demanding regulatory and consumer-protection requirements.
Data note: The analysis combines the latest verified annual betting turnover figures (2024), horse-racing figures (2025) and consumer behavior research (November 2026). Survey findings refer to gamblers rather than Ireland’s entire adult population.
