Irish players are some of the most spoiled ones in the EU zone. The country is online gambling galore, and there are hundreds of sites someone can join. However, there is a fresh market that most gamblers are unaware of.
We are talking about crypto gambling sites in Ireland. These brands will be useful additions to your roster of casinos & sportsbooks, as they offer several perks. Anonymity, larger bonuses, access to otherwise unavailable slots, higher odds and instantaneous withdrawals are just some of them. Keep reading to learn how you can step up your game.
Finding the best crypto casino can be a daunting task, as every month sees new brands emerging. Fear not, though, as our team has filtered for you the most reliable ones. And apart from security, our picks offer bonuses of up to 5 BTC, libraries with premier slot providers and lightning-fast payouts. And if you want to find out more about our recommended Irish crypto casinos, click the icon for the review.
The 1933 Betting Act, alongside the Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1956 (and all subsequent amendments, such as the 2015 change ruling on internet gambling), make it legal to gamble in Ireland. Legal gambling sites are required to be licensed by the Revenue Commission. However, as an EU country, Article 56 TFEU and Article 8 of Directive 98/34/EC both apply. This means that any EU-licensed gambling site can offer its services to Irish players.
When it comes to Bitcoin gambling legality in Ireland, things are less clear-cut. However, this is an unregulated industry which falls under the same legal grey zones as conventional online casino gambling. As with those sites, Ireland cannot restrict its citizens and residents from playing at EU-licensed crypto casinos.
Cryptocurrencies are also legal – albeit not legal tender. Crypto exchanges (or businesses involved in trading cryptocurrencies) are required to obtain a license and collect your personal data (KYC) as part of the EU’s anti-money laundering scheme. This only applies to licensed exchanges, though.
The situation is, therefore, relatively straightforward for Irish crypto bettors. You are free to play at all EU-licensed sites and, to a degree, even offshore cryptocurrency and Bitcoin gambling sites as you see fit with no repercussions. However, depending on how you obtain cryptos, you may be required to cede some KYC data to the exchanges when acquiring cryptos, albeit not the casinos and sportsbooks offering their services.
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Irish Crypto Gambling Facts
1
The Republic of Ireland doesn’t license online casinos. However, it does license sports betting sites.
2
As an EU country, Ireland must permit EU-licensed sites to offer their services to Irish residents.
3
Cryptocurrencies are not regulated, but crypto exchanges must obtain KYC information on residents trading in cryptos.
4
Authorities won’t punish or prosecute you if you decide to play at offshore crypto casinos.
5
The rules surrounding gambling in Northern Ireland are wholly different from those of the Republic.
Leading Crypto Betting Sites in Ireland
The question is, why should I pick an offshore bookie instead one of the numerous Revenue Commission licensed ones? The answer; higher odds, access to different odds providers and a much higher level of privacy. Our tested crypto betting sites offer all of the above, so make sure to try them out.
There are always pros to checking out new crypto-betting sites in Ireland. Here are just a few of them:
New crypto betting sites tend to offer larger welcome bonuses than existing ones, as they vie with each other to build a fanbase.
Many newer crypto sites also support no-deposit bonuses for the same reason. These allow you to win without risking your own capital as a new player.
New crypto betting sites often feature extensive loyalty schemes. These may extend to casino gameplay, too, with perks including cashback, special offers, increased wager/withdrawal limits and more.
Cryptocurrencies and offshore gambling are, for the most part, unregulated in the Republic of Ireland. Those who want to engage in this activity can, as soon as they acquire cryptocurrencies. Ireland regulates the traders and exchanges providing these financial services in line with EU anti-money laundering laws.
When purchasing cryptocurrency from a licensed and regulated exchange, you will be required to provide KYC details. However, snapping up cryptos via an exchange that isn’t licensed in Ireland will see you avoid this eventuality. Fees for transactions can vary depending on where you play. The most popular crypto exchanges in Ireland include Binance, Revolut, Bitpanda, eToro and Kraken.
Whenever you purchase your cryptocurrencies from, you’ll need a wallet to store them in. Once you’ve got your wallet sorted out, you’re free to transfer those cryptos to your casino or sportsbook account, and you can go from there.
1
Start an account at a crypto exchange. Fund it via debit card, bank transfer or any other local option. Acquire the cryptocurrency that you are going to use as a gambling bankroll.
2
If you are not in a hurry, limit orders hold fewer fees than market orders. Sometimes, it is better to acquire the proprietary coin of the exchange first, as trading pairs with them cost less.
3
Transfer the cryptocurrency amount to your private wallet. Never make direct transactions between crypto exchanges & crypto gambling sites. Crypto exchanges may freeze such accounts.
4
Head over to the gambling site’s cashier section. Click on the relevant crypto method. The wallet’s address will appear. Copy the address and paste it into your wallet’s send function. QR code scans are commonly available too.
5
If a brand does not support crypto-only wallets, watch out for the exchange rate. Any spread above 1% of the current market rate is too much.
6
After a few seconds or minutes, your deposit will settle. This depends on the cryptocurrency and the number of block confirmations required by the operator.
Ireland is a country notable for its high taxes on capital gains, and cryptocurrencies count as that. Therefore, we need to explore crypto taxes (and gambling tax) more in the next section.
What’s the Crypto Tax in Ireland for Gambling Winnings?
Ireland hits you for six with its crypto taxes. The Revenue Commission has decided that you must pay tax on cryptocurrency profits – twice. Crypto profits are subject to income tax and capital gains taxes. Capital gains can be taxed at 33%, which is a rather whopping sum.
Fortunately, there is something you can do to get around this. It is perfectly legal for you to defer paying tax on cryptocurrencies if you hold on to them long-term. As long as your cryptos are not being traded for Fiat (for instance, euros), then you won’t have to pay capital gains and income tax on those transactions.
What about gambling taxes, though? There are gambling taxes in Ireland, but these only apply to companies and operators, not players such as yourself. Therefore, anything you win when playing at crypto casinos and sportsbooks is yours to keep tax-free.
Crypto Gambling Outside the Country
The abundance of options is definitely a pro when it comes to the Irish scene, but we all know the hurdles bonded with such sites. Luckily, cryptocurrencies have the answer to such problems by design. Not too far away, UK crypto gambling sites are the go-to for all players wanting to escape the nosy surveillance of the UKGC safely and anonymously.
Contrary to Ireland, gambling in Iceland might be banned, but Bitcoin isn’t. That’s the window locals realised and flocked to crypto online casinos in Iceland to get instant access to their most-desired slots and sportsbooks.
As touched on, Irish crypto gamblers have it fairly easy compared to residents of other countries. There is a great deal of leniency and looking the other way when it comes to Irish crypto gambling, and while the capital gains and income taxes associated with trading cryptos are high, the gambling taxes are non-existent. This all makes the Republic of Ireland one of the best places you can choose to engage in crypto gambling, and we’re confident that you’ll find many of our trusted crypto gambling sites right up your alley.
FAQs
Yes. You are free to trade in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in Ireland. However, licensed crypto exchanges are required to obtain your personal details via a KYC process to comply with the EU’s anti-money laundering scheme.
Crypto gambling involves the act of depositing and withdrawing using cryptocurrencies. At some sites, this may also involve actively betting with cryptos online, while on other sites, your deposit may be converted to FIAT for gameplay.
Any of the top recommended betting sites that feature on our page have been approved for betting with cryptos in Ireland and are amongst the best in the business.
You are required to pay capital gains (up to 33%) and income tax on cryptocurrency when you convert them into FIAT. Don’t convert them, and you won’t have to pay the taxes on them.
Yes. While officially, EU-licensed crypto gambling sites and Irish-licensed crypto exchanges are required to collect KYC data, those exchanges and betting sites licensed outside the EU are not. Moreover, it is perfectly legal for you to use these sites instead and, thus, gain a greater level of anonymity