The casino industry in Ireland continues to enjoy favorable regulations coupled with positive consumer attitudes, which are the recipe for success.

As a result, more operators have been making their debut in the market, eager to capitalize on these opportunities. Players, too, have been quick to vet the reputable casino sites and start playing, seeing as operators are offering variety, convenience, and affordability. But have these supporting factors had an effect on the casino revenue? What can stakeholders expect in 2025? We take a deep dive into the facts and the figures.

Revenue in the Past Five Years

Industries have several possible trajectories – they can grow, they can plateau, or they can dwindle. So, what has the case been for the casino market in Ireland? The only way to know is to review the revenue over the years.

  1. 2020. As the rest of the world grappled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ireland, too, witnessed a change in its economy. However, while most of the other industries were taking a hit, the casino market remained relatively stable due to online casino sites. With more people staying home, people took to playing on these sites to keep busy, maintain social contact, and have fun. While the figures for this year are not readily available, estimates average them as €1.05 billion.
  2. 2021. The overall economy was still recovering from the effects of the pandemic while most of the world remained shut down. In this state, the online casino market continued to take root, making up for the deficit in the physical casinos. Estimates show that the revenue this year amounted to €1.25 billion.
  3. 2022. More people were back to their work, and the world was beginning to stabilize, resulting in an increase in disposable income. While more physical casinos were opening their doors to players, many people chose to keep playing online as more operators were offering their services to the Irish market. The figure grew to €1.30 billion.
  4. 2023. The past few years have shed light on just how convenient and lucrative online casinos are. As such, there was momentum in two directions. The first was in the number of operators seeking a license to offer games to the Irish market. The second was in the number of people signing up as online casino players – there was a 38% increase in this figure. It was thus not surprising when the annual casino revenue reached €1.35 billion.
  5. 2024. With the pandemic long gone and people resuming normalcy in their lives, the government backed casino operators with incentives to remain in the Irish market. Slowly but surely, these incentives played a role in boosting the market, resulting in an estimated revenue of €1.37 billion in revenue.

It’s evident that the market has been raking in more revenue over the years. So, can we expect the same to happen in 2025?

The 2025 Projections – What Stakeholders Can Expect

Current estimates show that the casino market will remain relatively stable as the revenue increases to €1.4 billion in 2025. Interestingly, the same estimates show that up to €1.04 billion will come from the online casino market. But that’s not all. The current compound annual growth rate for both online and physical casinos is 2.07%, and projections show that this will remain so for the next five years. As such, anyone who is keen on investing in this market can strike now while the iron is hot. Of course, anyone wishing to make such a move should also go through industry reports and make an objective decision based on their risk appetite and expected returns.

What’s Fueling the Growth?

The increased revenue in the casino market comes down to the opportunities in the industry. Take the physical casinos as an example. It is no secret that these establishments have had their fair share of challenges in the past few years due to the increased accessibility of online casinos and the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted the closure of many casinos. Now, operators are working hard to stabilize this sector by making the following changes:

  • Emphasis on culture and lifestyle. When players go to physical casinos, they hope to have a unique experience that feels out-of-this-world. Casinos have been doing this by curating player experiences to match their wildest dreams. A good example would be the current trend, which focuses on opulent settings that enable players to live like royalty, which is an experience that people want to enjoy time and again.
  • Tailored entertainment. Casinos are going out of their way to host events that enable players to enjoy the thrill of gaming as they take in live entertainment. Sometimes, it’s an international artist belting out their latest hits; at others, it is a local artist entertaining the guests with relatable songs. With the roster changing to keep people guessing, more players are making their way to physical casinos just for the entertainment value.

Online casinos have also been making moves to attract more players. A good example has been the integration of artificial intelligence in the games, which has resulted in more personalized recommendations, better marketing strategies, and accessible customer support. Operators have also been capitalizing on better player experiences by optimizing sound and video quality in the games.