For Ireland, where gambling is woven into cultural life but undergoing significant regulatory reform, the wave of overseas entrants could reshape the landscape for both operators and players.
A global industry looks to Europe
In the last five years, North America has become the epicenter of iGaming innovation. U.S. states opening regulated online betting markets have created multi-billion-dollar businesses almost overnight. Canada, too, has experimented with provincial iGaming frameworks, drawing in offshore and domestic operators alike.
But as those markets mature, attention has shifted eastward. Europe, despite its complex patchwork of regulations, represents one of the largest pools of online bettors in the world. Markets like Germany, Spain, and the Nordics are seeing growth in mobile play, while smaller English-speaking jurisdictions like Ireland offer a familiar entry point for U.S. and Canadian firms.
“The U.S. market has been extraordinary in its growth, but saturation is a very real concern,” says Mark Taylor, a casino veteran and analyst at Casino Whizz. “For ambitious iGaming brands, Europe is the logical next step. It offers diverse markets, sophisticated players, and — crucially — regulatory clarity in regions like Malta, the UK, and Ireland that allows serious operators to build a long-term presence.”
The Irish angle
Ireland’s gambling market, traditionally associated with horse racing, lotteries, and community bingo halls, is in the middle of its own transformation. The long-awaited Gambling Regulation Bill — with a new Gambling Regulatory Authority — is set to modernize rules that critics say were decades out of date.
For incoming operators, that timing is significant. As one Dublin-based lawyer put it, “Ireland could become a gateway market. If you can comply here, you can show you’re serious about operating across Europe.”
Taylor agrees. “Irish players are discerning. They’ve grown up with betting shops and racing culture, but they also know when a product feels exploitative. Foreign operators that succeed in Ireland will be the ones that balance innovation with trust. Payments, fair bonuses, and visible responsible gaming tools will matter more than flashy advertising.”
What’s driving expansion?
Three factors explain why overseas firms are eyeing Europe now:
Regulatory certainty: While complex, the European licensing landscape — from Malta to Gibraltar to local licenses in Spain, Italy, and Ireland — offers clear paths for compliance. Compare this to the U.S., where state-by-state rules can be prohibitive.
Player sophistication: European players are accustomed to evaluating RTPs (return-to-player percentages), testing new formats like live dealer games, and comparing bonuses across multiple sites. That creates a competitive but rewarding environment for high-quality operators.
Cross-border growth: Unlike North America, where legal play is highly fragmented, Europe offers cross-border opportunities. A license in one EU jurisdiction often opens access to others under specific conditions.
“From a growth perspective, the numbers speak for themselves,” Taylor notes. “The European online gambling market is projected to exceed €130 billion by 2027. That’s not just sports betting — it’s casino games, esports, live dealer platforms, and emerging tech like VR gambling. If you’re a North American operator with ambitions beyond your borders, you can’t ignore that.”
Challenges ahead
Still, expansion won’t be easy. European regulators have become increasingly strict about advertising, bonus structures, and player protection. Sweden has capped deposit bonuses, Spain has limited advertising hours, and the UK is considering affordability checks that some warn could push players to unlicensed sites.
For Irish lawmakers, those precedents are instructive. The incoming Gambling Regulatory Authority is expected to balance liberalization with consumer safeguards. That could set Ireland apart as a testing ground for overseas operators willing to adapt.
Taylor cautions: “The companies that think they can just ‘copy-paste’ their U.S. model into Ireland will struggle. The cultural context matters. Players here have different expectations, and regulators are watching closely. The operators who succeed will be the ones who respect that difference.”
The bigger picture
For all the complexities, the momentum is undeniable. Europe remains one of the most lucrative gambling markets in the world, and its combination of regulation, history, and player sophistication makes it attractive to ambitious operators abroad.
For Ireland, the influx could mean greater choice for players, more tax revenue for the state, and — inevitably — debates about regulation, responsibility, and cultural impact.
As Taylor puts it: “This is less about a gold rush and more about a second wave of globalization. The first wave was Vegas and Atlantic City going global. The second wave is digital — and Europe is at the center of it.”