The iGaming industry is massive across the globe but in the UK and Ireland gaming is part of the culture. In recent years, a shift towards online gaming, the introduction of new games and quick adaptation to regulatory changes, have made Irish providers leaders within the industry. The country also prides itself in specialising in sports betting, horse race betting in particular, and have become world-leaders as a result. In this article we’ll look at what’s coming out tops in the gaming industry: will it be the UK or will luck be on the side of the Irish?
Why Is Ireland a Leader Within the Gaming Industry?
There’s been a massive shift within the gaming industry towards online platforms, especially towards those accessible by phone. In recent years, this improved accessibility has seen the numbers of players increase sharply with 985.3 million users around the world expected by 2029¹. In Ireland, where over a third of the population lives in rural areas, the development of mobile games has been essential to the growth of the iGaming industry².
As well as improved accessibility, developments in mobile technology have given players a wider library of games and betting options to choose from. Sports betting, especially on horse racing, has always been the most popular form of gambling within the country. Now, with more options to choose from like live dealer poker, virtual reality slots and themed games have also become popular. By providing an option to suit every player, the gaming industry within Ireland has been able to thrive.
Speaking of themes, the importance of Ireland within the iGaming industry can be seen through many of themed game options. Players will certainly have noticed games which use elements of Irish folklore and visuals like shamrocks, pots of gold and leprechauns. Some of the most popular games across the industry, like Leprechaun Goes Egypt and Patrick’s Jackpot, are themed around the luck of the Irish. The country has an almost mythical importance within the industry and has been represented in many popular games as a result.
Leading the Way for iGaming In Other Countries
Irish operators have specialised in one sport in particular – horse racing. The country is home to 26 racecourses – more per head than any other country in the world. Horse racing has a lofty history within the country with mentions tracing back to 110BC in County Kildare. By the 1920s, the sport played a crucial role in the country’s economy as the Irish Free State allowed sports betting. In fact, it was at the Baldoyle Racecourse in Ireland that the phrase ‘betting ring’ was coined to describe the circle the bookmakers formed around judges as they waited for race results. ³
The Irish have a prestigious recent history in the sport as well. On the final day of the 2025 Cheltenham festival, all the winners were Irish. Top trainer Willie Mullins led the Irish charge winning Leading Trainer for the seventh consecutive year after training ten of the winners. Ireland also took home the Prestbury Cup after beating the UK 20-8 throughout the meeting⁴. Since the cup was started in 2014 the Irish have won it nine times and the British only twice, highlighting the country’s dominance in the sport.
Irish horse racing has become such a front runner within the industry that providers are able to expand into other countries to support the sport there. For almost ten years the Irish online casino operator SeanieMac has been a member of the Authorised Betting Partner within British Racing⁵. The operator invests an amount of its profits into promoting horse racing in the UK and sponsors racing events throughout the country. Irish providers are some of the biggest within the industry, like PaddyPower whose parent company made €152 million in profits in 2024. The international company thrives throughout the globe and saw ‘record levels of customer engagement for the Super Bowl’ with 17.7 million bets within the one day⁶.
Adapting to New Technology
The iGaming industry is always quick to incorporate new technologies to provide players with the best experience possible. As well as developments in mobile technology, the industry has seen further advancements. Although the technology behind virtual sports betting dates from the 1960s invention by IBM engineer John Burgeson, it wasn’t incorporated into the betting industry until the early 2000s. Virtual sports are just as they sound with results determined by an algorithm that uses random number generators. In some cases, like virtual horse race betting, the result will also take into account the horse’s virtual form. In a country where sports betting is the most popular form of iGaming, the virtual world has been a huge development. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when most sporting events were suspended, the virtual option allowed players to continue sports betting. By 2007, a Guardian report found that one in five horse racing bets were placed on virtual races.
As we mentioned earlier, developments in technology have given players a much wider range of gaming options. Live dealer games allow players to interact with a real dealer, in real time using livestream technology. This option has been particularly popular in Ireland as it allows players- including those spread across the country’s rural landscape- to recreate the experience of playing at a casino. Other developments include Virtual Reality slots which use VR headsets to provide players with a realistic casino environment. Set design, graphics and sound design help to create a fully immersive casino experience.
A Future of Changing Regulations
While the gaming industry within Ireland takes the lead, it also faces some upcoming challenges. In recent years, there have been some big changes to the iGaming laws across Ireland intended to ensure player safety while streamlining the regulation process. Following the 2024 Betting Act, The Gambling Regulatory Authority was established to oversee the industry within Ireland. They started work on the 5th of March 2025 with a focus on improving customer safety across the advertisement, marketing and participation within the iGaming industry⁷. The GRA has already begun introducing changes aimed at doing just this- such as the creation of a national register preventing players that self-exclude from accessing providers on a country-wide basis. Another change has been the creation of the Social Impact Fund which finances education and research on Responsible Gambling within Ireland.
Providers are already having to adapt to these changes and are anticipating further additions in the future. The GRA has highlighted that they want to work with operators to help streamline regulations by condensing rules down. At the moment, the industry currently faces a wide range of rules spread across different regulatory bodies. The GRA has announced that they will repeal some of these confusing rules and replace them with clearer, updated guidance. The Minister of State at the Department of Justice, James Browne, said the GRA will ‘provide a streamlined, simplified and coherent framework’ for providers⁸. He also reported that the GRA are already working with Irish operators to help the industry adapt to changing regulations.
Irish Operators Lead the Way
Irish operators lead the way over UK operators by adopting new technology, adapting to regulatory changes and embracing the gambling culture within the country. The high percentage of the population that live within rural areas means that the shift towards online gambling has seen gambling explode within the country. Irish operators have also embraced the country’s favourite sport, horse racing, by becoming world-leading specialists and helping to promote the sport within the UK. The Irish sector of the industry has also been quick to adapt to changes in legislation by working with the regulatory body-the GRA. Overall, through adaptability and specialisation Irish operators have taken the lead over their UK counterparts within the gaming industry.
1: Gambling-Worldwide Statista Market Forecast, Written by Statista, Published by Statista.
3: Odds On: A Short History of Bookmaking in Ireland, Written by Niamh O’Sullivan, Published by RTE.
5: Irish Gaming Operator to Support UK Gaming, Written by Dermot Heathcote, Published by Irishluck.
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