Online casinos are an entertaining way to spend time and check your luck, but the bonuses dial the fun to eleven. If you’re an Ireland resident and are searching for a platform with fantastic offers, you’ve arrived at the right place.
Here you’ll learn all there is to know about the best Irish casino bonuses and get some top recommendations from experts. Read along to learn about the intricate rules we use to find and qualify the casino offers before bringing them to you.
You can also scroll to the end of the page to find more information about Irish-specific rules and regulations and a quick look at frequently asked questions.
Welcome bonuses are one of the first offers you get at an online casino. In most cases, they are deposit-based percentage offers with a total amount you can get back in exchange for your time and money. The welcome bonus can either have one or multiple steps. Sometimes, it consists of several offers, like being attached to free spins. Either way, it should only be available for players who just signed up. You usually redeem the bonus during registration when you make the first deposit. These reward terms also include specific wagering requirements for receiving the money you win through the offer.
Free spin bonuses are promotion types associated with slot games. With no specific skills needed, slots are a gold mine for many players who just want to chill and take their chances in a casual game. Whatever they earn from the spins is added to the bankroll. Be careful: your free spins might only be eligible on specific games under promotion. To ensure you're using them right and not losing money, read the terms and find the list of games it works on. Also, remember: most free spin bonuses work when you play on the maximum paylines and the smallest coin size.
No deposit bonuses are one of the most tempting offers. The casino gives you a small amount of money or free spins to get you in the game. Free money is good, but keep in mind that these usually have some underlying terms that make getting them tricky. Although you do get the proposed amount at first, you have to meet high wagering requirements to withdraw the winnings. Plus, you have to share personal information with the casino by signing up to get the offer. No deposit bonuses aren't trying to fool you, but be aware of the risks. These are an excellent way to try out the platform and have fun without worrying that you'll lose real money. View no deposit bonuses as a casual way to start playing. It'll help you not to be upset if you lose.
Wagering or playthrough requirements are conditions attached to a bonus. Meeting them allows you to withdraw or use the winnings from the offer. Usually, you have to wager a multiple of your initial deposit to claim them. Usual requirements can go as high as 60x, but most of them are around 30x. Thus, 5x can be qualified as "low wagering." No wagering is self-explanatory: there are no playthrough conditions in bonus T&C, and you can withdraw your bonus winnings immediately. The interesting thing with these offers is that they might refer to other bonus types. Although rare, casinos might offer no-wagering welcome bonuses or free spins that you just receive at no cost. These are harder to come by, as they are low risk and high reward. Still, ensure to read the fine print for any hidden details.
Casinos aim for loyalty-based relationships with their players. So while welcome bonuses incentivise you to sign up and no deposit bonuses prompt you to "just try," cashback promotions keep you coming back. What's interesting is how this bonus type promotes losing versus winning. You usually get a percentage (5-20%) of the losses you might've suffered during a given period (a week or a month). This means that the more you play and lose, the bigger the amount could get back. But, of course, there's always a cap on the maximum bonus amount. Live casino games and slots get the most attention with this bonus type. It might be beneficial for people who don't plan to make too many deposits, aiming to extend their bankroll as much as possible. You should always check if getting a cashback bonus doesn't void your eligibility for other ones from the same casino.
Reload bonuses are pretty similar to cashback ones. First of all, they serve a similar purpose of incentivising the players to return to the platform. Second, they are periodic. You might get one every week, at a given hour once you've signed up for it and until the promotion is over. And third, they're calculated as a percentage. However, this last point contains the main difference between them. While the cashback returns a percentage of your losses, this adds a portion of your deposit to the bankroll, giving you an extra kick to start winning. Plus, the bigger your deposit, the larger the reward.
Promotional casino bonuses are all about maximising the profit or establishing a partnership with game developer companies. To accomplish the first goal, the marketers at the casino might gather information about your playing habits and offer individual player bonuses right to your inbox. The second promotion type worth mentioning is the one that comes from the game companies. They include free spins, tournaments or the so-called daily drops and wins to nudge gamblers to choose their games. Casinos might have additional profits from these deals too. The ones explained above aren't all the platforms allow, but they are the most frequent ones. Entire marketing teams work on unique offers and deals targeted at individual players, partner programs and improving the casino experience.
Not all bonuses are created equal. Some favour slots and others are targeted at other casino games. Read on to learn more.
Gambling in Ireland has been developing in the last couple of hundred years. Historically, betting has been more popular in Ireland than traditional casino games. Sports like football, golf and rugby are the top favourites, and betting is similarly widespread.
Horse racing is still on top of popularity and is legal. Brick-and-mortar casino establishments are illegal, but membership-based clubs exist that might contain some gambling tables and slot machines.
Online gambling is developing fast due to casino websites and mobile applications. It’s legal to have an account and play in eligible casinos. The legal gambling age is 18 years and older. There’s no dedicated body that regulates the sphere yet, but hopefully, Ireland will get one soon due to a bill that’s still under discussion in the parliament.
While slots are the most popular ones, live dealer games don’t fall behind either. It’s natural because of the ban on brick-and-mortar casinos. People get the casino vibe from live tournaments.
Although some laws regarding betting and totalisators existed since the 1920s (Betting Act in 1926, The Totalisator Act in 1929), casinos haven’t had too much attention from policymakers in Ireland before 1956.
Since then, a few regulatory bills have been passed. Namely, The Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1956 bans the existence of land-based casinos. Still, there’s a loophole that allows private clubs to exist. Today, more than a dozen of them offer casino games like blackjack tables, slots, and video poker.
In 2013, an effort to somehow regulate the gambling industry in the country has been proposed. The bill would allow up to 40 casinos with 15 tables and 25 gaming machines each, plus it would create a governing body (Office of Gambling Control Ireland (OGCI)) to enable proper licencing.
Still, there’s a lot of backlash regarding this bill, and the Irish parliament hasn’t approved it yet. With the rise of online gambling in Ireland, the landscape started changing. In 2003, web-based platforms for betting and online casino games started operating legally.
As for betting, 2015’s Amendment to the Betting Act established that all bookies that cater to Irish audiences should be taxed and licenced in the country. This law, unlike the ones before it, managed to take online betting into account. It also poses fines of up to €300,000 if the operators fail to obtain one of the following three licences:
The future of gambling regulation in Ireland is looking hopeful. Some government officials have publicly stated that this area is on top of their priorities. Still, we have to wait and see what will policymakers come up with. Something is true – gambling laws in Ireland need a facelift.
As we already see, the Irish gambling law isn’t that sophisticated and intricate to offer us specific bonus regulations. Players have to abide by the rules mentioned in the given casino website or under particular bonus terms.
The only thing you can do is to ensure that the casino is legit and has a valid licence from one of the known jurisdictions, such as Malta or the UK.
Reading the bonus terms and conditions is also of utmost importance. You might deem the fine print boring, but knowing what awaits you is wise. At least you’ll learn how to avoid costly mistakes if something goes wrong.
For example, you might miss a deadline yet be very close to fulfilling the wagering requirement, thus jeopardising your efforts to get the bonus winnings in time.
Casino bonuses may impose various restrictions on the player. Still, it’s not a whim to harm the user experience but an intelligent way to protect the casino from fraud and money laundering.
The so-called “Know Your Customer (KYC)” practices serve this purpose. You won’t be able to withdraw your winnings as long as you’re an unverified customer. Submitting an identification document, a document from a bank, and proof of address will open up the restriction.
These rules also help prevent underage gambling and avoid audiences that might be high-risk targets for corruption. As you might have noticed, withdrawal methods in casinos are often fewer than options for making a deposit.
Some e-wallets and e-transfer systems don’t support casino payouts. The reason for this is that the casinos don’t have a way to track the money, making it harder to spot various money laundering schemes. On the other hand, bonuses themselves can have location, withdrawal, time and, more often, game restrictions.
To ensure that you can receive the reward and derived winnings, do the following:
Be smart about the bonuses you’re considering. Read the fine print on every offer. They might seem similar, but you might lose money if they turn out to be different.
As land-based casinos are illegal in Ireland, and online casinos are a bit hard to track, there isn’t much information about the largest gambling wins in Ireland. One of the biggest jackpots on an online slot was acquired in 2019, when Sean Doyle, a chef from Newcastle, won €4.86 million playing Mars Attack.
As to lottery jackpots, Ireland has a long list of winners. In 2008, a group of 16 people won the largest amount ever in Ireland through Quick Pick. They shared the prize of 18.9 million, but this is still considered the top win in the history of the National Lottery (Ireland). The latest win happened in 2016. A family won €13.7 million via a €10 Quick Pick.
One of the largest horse racing wins in Ireland is a whopping €350,000. A punter from Dublin placed an accumulator bet, where six of the seven horses won. Using only €120, this punter could’ve become a multi-millionaire if the seventh horse came first.
Although we've addressed many bonus-related questions until now, below are a few specific ones you might be interested in.
A wagering requirement is the number of times you need to play through your deposit or bonus amount. It’s a T&C criterion to meet before you can withdraw your winnings. It usually ranges from one to 60 times the amount.
Different game types contribute differently to the wagering requirements. Slots are usually the highest, with 100%, while table games might only add 80%. This means that if you gamble $100 in a slot game, the wagering requirement will reduce by $100. In the case of blackjack, wagering a $100 would only result in a $20 decrease.
The time frame depends on you (within the bonus validity period). Once you meet all the criteria and playthrough requirements mentioned in the bonus terms, you’ll be able to use or withdraw your winnings.
Your casino bonus validity depends on the individual bonus T&C. With one-step easy bonuses, anywhere from 24 hours to a week is expected. In the case of multi-step ones that span for a few days, clearing them might take longer. The validity term might last for up to 30 days.
Bonuses in Irish online casinos are updated very often. That’s why we recommend you follow our website. Here you’ll catch the hottest ones out there. We search and present to you the best bonuses on the market.
Most importantly, we use a very intricate process to sift through the available offers and find exciting and player-oriented casino promotions.
While land-based casinos are prohibited in Ireland, you can legally play at domestic and offshore online casinos and claim bonuses. Just remember, playing at an online platform happens at your own risk, so you need to watch out for fraudulent activities and websites. Our team is here to reduce your confusion by recommending you the best of the best.
If you’ve met the bonus terms and conditions, including the wagering requirements, you will be able to withdraw the winnings with no problems. Still, check if the bonus has additional limits and restrictions for withdrawal.
If you’ve won a large sum, cashing it out might result in you voiding your ability to withdraw anything at all. Pay attention to the bonus-specific withdrawal procedures and general ones mentioned in the casino-wide terms of use.
Not all bonuses need codes. If the description asks for a specific one, you’ll need to hunt for it and fill it in before claiming the offer. Still, most Irish online casinos use the one-click method where you just go through prompts, receiving the reward in the end.
In most cases, casino bonuses appear in your account immediately unless there’s a specific requirement in the T&C.
The volatility of a game is determined by how often you hit a win and how big it actually is. For example, slots are categorised into high, medium, and low volatility. Volatility can also be described as the risk-and-return ratio. High variance games hit fewer times, but when they do, you get higher returns. On the other hand, low volatility gives you frequent small wins.
That said, volatility doesn’t have to do with clearing the bonus requirements. You need to look out for how much the game counts towards the playthrough, which is a different number (usually indicated in the bonus T&C).
The only place volatility matters for the bonus is that you have a higher chance to win big on high variance games, so offers rarely include them in the eligibility lists.
Ireland casino bonuses usually mention the games upfront. If it’s targeted on slots, they might have free spins and mention slot titles in the eligibility lists. Similarly, live casino promotions might not work with other games.
As a general rule of thumb, all casino bonuses are different. While they might look the same from the outside, they are specifically tailored towards a target market, game variety and player eligibility. Thus, it’s always a good idea to read the T&C.
As a player, you don’t have to pay taxes on your winnings if you play from Ireland. On the other hand, online casinos that serve players in the country, whether local or not, must pay a corporation tax. Bookmakers also pay one per cent of all the bets. The initial licencing for a bookmaker is around €10,000.
Gambling is entertainment and should stay as such.
Gambling is fun, but it can also be addictive and start hurting your personal life, relationships, finances, and mental health. Playing for a long time can often result in failing to recognise how long you’re playing, how much you’ve spent and, in general, lose sight of reality.
Most online casinos recognise the facts mentioned above and ensure that players have the oversight tools to monitor their playtime and budget. Visit the “Account” page on the gambling platform you’re using, find the responsible gambling tools, and ensure you turn on the “Reality Check.”
These prompts will nudge you to get a break periodically or stop playing for the day. You can also establish time and deposit limits to help you combat the intrigue of gameplay and gain control over bad habits. If you feel that gambling is taking too much of your time, time out (self-exclusion) or permanent account closure is also possible.