Ireland is preparing tighter anti-money laundering (AML) requirements for gambling businesses as part of a new national strategy targeting money laundering, terrorist financing and other forms of financial crime.
Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris is launching the strategy following Ireland’s 2026 National Risk Assessment, which assessed the country’s overall money laundering threat as moderate and highlighted growing risks associated with crypto assets, money-mule networks and other digital payment methods.
For the gambling sector, the strategy proposes stronger oversight of casino clubs offering machine-based gambling, including tougher enforcement of licensing conditions and existing AML obligations.
A new standard will also be developed covering the acceptance of funds linked to cryptocurrency activity. Gambling businesses will be expected to carry out appropriate due diligence and verify that funds originate from legitimate sources.
Operators will additionally be expected to introduce closed-loop payment systems, under which withdrawals are returned through the same payment account used to fund the customer’s gambling account. The measure is intended to make it more difficult for gambling platforms to be used to move funds between unrelated payment methods.
Beyond gambling, the strategy includes measures to increase transparency around company ownership, strengthen requirements covering crypto-asset transfers and improve information sharing between Government departments, Gardaí, Revenue, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Central Bank and financial institutions.
The Department of Finance also intends to introduce mandatory disclosure requirements covering the ultimate beneficial owners of limited partnerships.
Harris said the strategy would strengthen Ireland’s ability to prevent and disrupt financial crime while protecting the integrity of its financial system.
The proposals build on measures reported earlier this summer and arrive as GRAI continues rolling out Ireland’s new gambling framework. The regulator began issuing remote betting licences in July and is currently consulting on further rules covering gaming products, record-keeping and information that operators must provide to customers.
Ireland’s 2026 National Risk Assessment classified the country’s overall money laundering threat as moderate
