Four months after Ireland’s new gambling regulator began licensing online bookmakers, the bonus bet is still standing. Since July 1, 2026, every sportsbook taking online or phone bets from customers in Ireland has needed a license from the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI). Yet the part of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 written to rein in free bets and other “inducements,” section 157, has still not been switched on.
That leaves Irish punters with plenty of offers to weigh up and a lot of small print to read. If you are still deciding where to open an account, this betting guide compares Irish betting sites on licensing, markets and promotions. Here, the focus is on the offer itself: what a bonus bet is, what it is really worth and which terms matter most before you claim one.
What Irish law allows right now
The 2024 Act became law in October 2024 and is being brought into force in stages. Its licensing and enforcement provisions took effect on February 5, 2026, alongside a ban on funding bets with a credit card, which also covers e-wallets topped up by credit card. A licensed operator that breaks the rules can be fined up to €20 million or 10% of its turnover, whichever is greater.
Section 157 is a different story. The GRAI lists the restrictions on advertising, promotions and inducements among the protections that have not yet commenced, and no regulations have been made under that section. Once it does take effect, operators will be barred from aiming an inducement at a particular person or group. The regulator’s guidance offers two examples: free bets reserved for selected loyal customers, and rewards tied to how much someone bets. The Act also allows the Minister for Justice, in consultation with the GRAI, to prohibit individual inducements or whole classes of them.
Until then, the regulator’s line is simple: a licensee may only offer inducements to the general public. One channel is already off-limits. Under Coimisiún na Meán’s commercial communications code, gambling ads on Irish TV and radio cannot feature free bets or special offers.
How a bonus bet works, step by step
Irish bookmakers mostly call them “free bets.” Many US sportsbooks relabeled the same product “bonus bets” after state regulators pushed back on “free” and “risk-free” marketing. The mechanics are much the same on both sides of the Atlantic, with one adjustment for American readers: Irish books quote decimal odds, so 2.00 equals +100 and 3.00 equals +200.
- Place a qualifying bet. A typical welcome offer follows a “bet €10, get €30 in free bets” pattern, and the qualifying wager usually has to be placed at or above minimum odds such as 1.50 (–200) or 2.00 (+100).
- Receive the tokens. Once the qualifying bet settles, win or lose, the bonus normally arrives as one or more tokens, for instance three €10 free bets, each with its own expiry date.
- Pick an eligible market. You select the token on the bet slip instead of staking cash. A single token generally cannot be split across several bets.
- Collect the profit only. If the bet wins, you are paid the winnings, but the token’s face value is not returned.
Here is what that last rule means for a €10 stake at odds of 3.00 (+200):
| €10 cash bet | €10 bonus bet | |
| Odds | 3.00 (+200) | 3.00 (+200) |
| Profit if it wins | €20 | €20 |
| Stake returned | Yes (€10) | No |
| Total return | €30 | €20 |
That “stake not returned” rule is the single biggest difference between a bonus bet and cash, and it changes how a token should be used. A €10 free bet at 1.50 (–200) returns just €5 if it wins. The same token at 5.00 (+400) returns €40, although that bet is far less likely to land.
The small print that decides what an offer is worth
Headline betting offers rarely tell the whole story. Minimum odds often apply twice, first to the qualifying bet and then to the tokens themselves. Expiry windows tend to be short, often a matter of days rather than weeks, and an unused token simply disappears. Some offers exclude certain deposit methods from qualifying, or limit which markets and bet types the tokens can be used on.
Watch the wording on refund promotions too. A “money back if your horse finishes second” or “bet insurance” offer usually returns a losing stake as a bonus bet rather than cash, so the stake-not-returned rule kicks in again. Price boosts and enhanced each-way terms work differently: a winning bet is paid in cash at the improved price, which makes their value easier to judge. Sportsbook free bets generally pay winnings as withdrawable cash with no wagering requirement, unlike many casino bonuses, but the terms page is the only place to confirm it.
Why the regulator is wary of free bets
The GRAI’s caution rests on research it funded. In a controlled experiment published by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in July 2025, 622 men under 40 placed realistic bets on Euro 2024 matches. Participants shown free bets and moneyback offers spent more than 10% more, the number choosing not to bet almost halved, and they were three times more likely to pick an objectively bad bet. People at risk of problem gambling were affected most.
The study also exposed a knowledge gap. Even though most participants were regular bettors, most did not realize that free bets come with restrictions, and many did not know they would not get their stake back from a winning free bet. ESRI researcher Diarmaid Ó Ceallaigh said the findings point to the need for stricter regulation of gambling offers.
Five checks before you claim a bonus bet
- Check the license. Confirm the operator appears on the GRAI’s public register of licensed betting operators at grai.ie.
- Read the qualifying terms. Look for the minimum stake, the minimum odds and the payment methods that count.
- Note every expiry date. Each token can carry its own deadline, and unused tokens are lost.
- Value it properly. Work out what the offer is worth with the stake-not-returned rule in mind, not by its headline figure.
- Set a deposit limit first. Licensed operators must give you the option, so set it before your first bet.
Tax, age limits and where to get help
Winnings from recreational betting are not taxed in Ireland; operators pay a 2% betting duty on stakes instead. Betting is limited to adults aged 18 and over. A National Gambling Exclusion Register, which will let people block themselves from every licensed operator with a single request, is written into the Act but is not yet in operation. In the meantime, AIB, Bank of Ireland, PTSB and Revolut let customers block gambling transactions from their banking apps.
If betting has stopped feeling like entertainment, the National Gambling Helpline run by GamblingCare.ie is free and confidential on 1800 936 725, open from 9am to 11pm every day. MABS, the free Money Advice and Budgeting Service, can help with problem debt on 0818 07 2000.
Bonus bets in Ireland: quick answers
Are free bets still legal in Ireland?
Yes. Section 157 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 has not yet commenced, so GRAI-licensed operators can still offer free bets, provided the offer is open to the general public rather than targeted at selected customers.
Do you get your stake back on a winning bonus bet?
No. You keep the profit only. A €10 bonus bet at 3.00 returns €20, compared with €30 for a €10 cash bet.
Can a bonus bet be withdrawn as cash?
No. A token has no cash value until it is used on a bet that wins, and it expires if left unused.
Are betting winnings taxed in Ireland?
Not for recreational bettors. The 2% betting duty is paid by the operator.