Ireland to introduce new anti‑money laundering rules for gambling and crypto

The government intends to require gambling firms in Ireland to carry out due diligence on crypto‑related transactions.

Ireland.- Gambling operators in Ireland look set to face new anti‑money laundering rules as part of a new government drive. Minister for Finance Simon Harris has said that a new national strategy will reinforce existing safeguards and close loopholes that the government fears allow illicit funds to move undetected. 

The plan will include a “more robust regulatory framework” for casinos offering machine‑based gambling, alongside tighter enforcement of licence conditions and anti‑money laundering rules. 

A key element will be the treatment of cryptocurrency. The government intends to establish a standard requiring gambling firms to carry out due diligence on crypto‑related transactions in a bid to ensure that the origin of funds can be verified.

The strategy will also focus on transparency in corporate ownership. The Department of Finance will propose rules for the mandatory disclosure of the ultimate beneficial owners of all limited partnerships and intends to begin work on a framework to support parallel investigations into money laundering and tax offences.

The announcement comes after Ireland’s 2026 National Risk Assessment on Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Proliferation Financing concluded that the country faced a “moderate” threat from money laundering, with criminal groups blending traditional cash‑based methods with digital tools such as crypto assets and money‑mule networks. It also comes against the backdrop of an international probe into the Dubai‑based Kinahan cartel, which has seen Irish police working alongside overseas agencies to trace assets and assist in potential seizures.

The Central Bank of Ireland will be tasked with developing a “systematic understanding” of how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, may create vulnerabilities or offer opportunities to strengthen defences against financial crime. The government says intelligence sharing will be expanded across departments, the Garda, the Financial Intelligence Unit, Revenue, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the central bank and financial institutions.

Ahead of the launch, Harris stated the strategy will “strengthen Ireland’s ability to detect, prevent and disrupt money laundering, terrorist financing and other forms of financial crime while protecting citizens, businesses and the integrity of Ireland’s financial system.”

The new Irish Remote Betting Licence framework came into effect in July under the oversight of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) following implementation of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. The new Gambling Regulation Act replaces outdated laws such as the Totalisator Act 1929 and Betting Act 1931, which focused on racetrack bookmakers and retail shops.

As of July 1, all operators need a B2C Betting Licence to continue offering sports betting in Ireland. Other verticals will be transitioned in phases. In-person betting licences are due to follow later this year. Applications for other categories, including gaming, lotteries, B2B, and charitable licences will open between 2027 and 2028.

Meanwhile, the GRAI’s chief executive Anne Marie Caulfield has said that the regulator is considering escalating enforcement against “one of the largest prediction market operators in the world” for unlawfully targeting Irish users.