Ireland has become the latest European jurisdiction to restrict access to major prediction market platforms, as regulators increasingly treat event-based contract markets as gambling services that require local licensing.
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) has announced that two leading prediction market operators barred access to Irish customers after negotiations with the authority. One platform decided to geoblock Irish users and the second one changed the terms of service and added Ireland to the list of jurisdictions where the access is banned.
The regulator told:
Prediction market operators wishing to offer betting services to consumers in Ireland are required to obtain the appropriate licence under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, before making those services available in the State. Those without a licence should take appropriate steps to prevent consumers in Ireland from accessing their platforms. Failure to do so may result in enforcement action.
This happened shortly after the launch of a new remote betting licensing system on 1 July 2026. Any operator offering remote betting or betting intermediary services to Irish clients should receive a license from the GRAI. The authority has already stated that prediction market operators who offer gambling services are considered as remote gaming intermediaries and recently it also baned Polymarket in the country.
The regulator has made clear that prediction market platforms offering betting-style activities fall within the legal definition of a remote betting intermediary and therefore require authorisation before serving customers in Ireland.
The GRAI also warned that operators without a licence must take steps to prevent access from Ireland and that failure to comply could result in enforcement action, including applications to the High Court.
