Big Four Irish bank’s data suggests 2% of customers face problem gambling

Data from Irish financial services firm Permanent TSB (PTSB) suggests that the country’s problem gambling rate could stand at around 2% during a period of regulatory reform.

The company, a building society providing banking and asset management services, has just launched a digital voluntary block on gambling websites for its customers, joining Allied Irish Bank (AIB), EBS, and the Bank of Ireland.

The block itself is nothing new, with the aforementioned Irish banks as well as some notable UK banks like Santander and Monzo already offering similar gambling block features for customers who want to prevent transfers made to betting and gaming sites.

However, some of the data PTSB has already gathered from the block’s use so far does paint an interesting picture of gambling behaviour in the Republic of Ireland, something which has become the focus of legislative efforts in recent years.

Data shows that 2% of PTSB users spent over €1,000 on gambling, which the bank notes is the threshold to be classified as a problem gambler according to ESRI Research, an independent social research organisation based in Dublin.

This estimate is also noticeably lower than the ESRI’s overall estimate for the extent of problem gambling in Ireland, though the bank still references the ESRI figure as the benchmark. The institute’s last estimate in 2023 put the problem gambling rate at 3.3%, 10 times higher than its previous estimate in 2019.

“Problem gambling is increasingly becoming a societal issue that warrants the closest attention, as it can have hugely damaging implications for individuals, their families and loved ones,” Patrick Farrell, PTSB’s Retail Banking Officer.

“We know from ESRI research that one in 30 adults in Ireland suffers from problem gambling, but worryingly a further 279,000 adults show moderate evidence of it. That’s why we have introduced this voluntary gambling block in-app so that it is accessible when our customers need it most.”

It would also put the Irish problem gambling rate below the UK’s rate of 2.5%, with the British and Irish markets having a lot in common. Both have a similar mix of retail and online bookmakers, share many of the same major brands (William Hill, Paddy Power, BoyleSports, SkyBet, Ladbrokes etc), and have undergone regulatory changes over the past few years.

One of the biggest differences between the Irish and British betting markets is, however, the way problem gambling is determined. The UK Gambling Commission bases its figure on the problem gambling severity index (PGSI), while ESRI and the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) use the €1,000 per month spending threshold.

Similar stats

Of course, the Irish problem gambling rate cannot be based entirely on the data from one financial services institution. However, as PTSB is one of the ‘Big Four’ of Irish banking, its data on gambling should still be considered in the wider discussion around gambling.

In addition to putting the number of problem gamblers in Ireland, based on spending data from June 2025, at 2%, the bank’s gambling block feature also found that 91% of gambling spend was completed online.

This showcases the trend seen in Ireland and other markets whereby the traditional retail methods of betting are being eclipsed by online methods. This has come with concerns about the impact on problem gambling due to the greater accessibility of gambling.

PTSB data shows that 91% of gambling spend was conducted online, painting a similar picture to Bank of Ireland data from earlier this year which put the figure at 99%.

The bank has also showcased another familiar trend, that being that gambling is a predominantly male activity, with 80% of gambling spend completed by men versus 20% by women. Interestingly though, the age group with the highest spend on gambling sites for both men and women was 40-49.

This is notable as much of the discourse around gambling harm, not just in Ireland but in other nations like the UK, Belgium and Netherlands, has focused on gambling’s impact on young people – but this demographic may not be the main one at risk.

PTSB joins the crowd

As noted above, the role financial service companies are playing in gambling harm prevention is nothing new. In Ireland, PTSB is the fourth bank to launch a gambling block product, and this trend has been mirrored in other markets.

This all comes against the backdrop of Ireland entering a new regulatory era, with the GRAI itself only created recently following the passage of the Gambling Regulation Bill (GRB), which was signed into law in 2024.

Researching the extent of gambling harm has become a top priority for the GRAI. The contributions made by financial services have since been welcomed by the GRAI and other stakeholders in Irish gambling harm prevention, such as charities

“I am delighted that PTSB has introduced a Gambling Block feature to their app,” said Oisín McConville, manager of the Wicklow County Gaelic football team, a former player, and brand ambassador for GamblingCare.ie.

“Having this service available to customers digitally will make a huge difference as it is accessible to them on the go, which is particularly important given the prevalence and availability of online gambling.

“Initiatives like this from PTSB are crucial in supporting those who experience problem gambling and really complement the support services GamblingCare offers in managing gambling-related harm.”