Bookmaker reviews: every GRAI licence holder we cover

Licence numbers follow the GRAI format, in which RB stands for remote betting. Click a bookmaker’s name to read the full review. You can check any licence yourself on the GRAI public register; search by company or brand.

Each bookmaker is scored on five questions: Irish sport coverage, live betting and streaming, app and site, payments in euro, and safer-betting tools. Every question gets between one and five stars and carries the same weight. The overall rating is the simple average of the five, rounded to the nearest half star, which is why we always show the five scores next to it. Two bookmakers with the same overall rating can be strong in very different places.

Read the scores as a description of the bookmaker’s Irish pages on the day we last read them. A five means the bookmaker is clearly ahead on that question, with nothing important missing; a four is strong with a gap or two; a three covers the essentials; a two is thin or hard to follow; a one means there is little to go on. Scores move when the bookmaker changes what it offers or publishes, and we update the review when they do.

Some things are deliberately left out. Promotions play no part, because they change often and are a reason to bet rather than a reason to choose. Withdrawal timings are described as the bookmaker states them, never scored, because they depend on identity checks, the method and your bank. Prices on a given day are not rated either, because odds move all the time. The full method, including how lists are ordered, is on our How we rate page.

Our facts come from three places: the bookmaker’s Irish terms and conditions (we quote the version and date where it publishes them), its Irish help centre and sports pages, and the GRAI register. Where a bookmaker does not publish something, such as support hours or a terms version, we say so rather than guess.

If racing is your main interest

Look for a bookmaker that covers Irish meetings day to day, not only the festivals, and that sets out its each way place terms, starting price rules and Rule 4 deductions in writing. Live pictures and Tote bets are worth checking too, along with how settlement works when a race is declared void. On our list, William Hill is the bookmaker we rate as best suited for racing fans; it scores 4.5/5 for Irish sport coverage. Our racing terms guide explains the vocabulary.

If you follow Gaelic football and hurling

GAA menus vary more between bookmakers than football menus do. Check how far into the championship the markets go, whether handicaps and totals are offered on the smaller fixtures, and whether a market is settled on normal time or after extra time. Betway is the bookmaker we describe as best suited for GAA and rugby followers, with 4/5 for Irish sport coverage. Our GAA betting guide covers the common markets.

If you mostly bet in-play

In-play betting moves at the pace of the game, which is a reason to set limits before the game starts. What matters is how many events have live markets, what the bookmaker says about streaming and its conditions, and how its cash out is described, including when it can be suspended. bet365 is our pick of the list for in-play bettors, scoring 4.5/5 for live betting and streaming. See live betting and cash out.

If you bet mostly on your phone

Check which platforms are offered, whether limits and time-outs can be set inside the app, and whether help is a tap away. LiveScore Bet is the bookmaker we rate as best suited for football followers who bet on their phone. On the app and site question, the highest score on our list is 3.5/5 (William Hill, LiveScore Bet, bet365 and Sky Bet), so no bookmaker here stands clearly ahead on that question. Our betting apps guide compares apps and mobile sites.

If you want firm limits and clear rules

Every licensed bookmaker must offer tools such as deposit limits, so look at how they are set and what happens when you change them. Sky Bet is the bookmaker we describe as best suited for bettors who want firm limits from day one; it scores 4.5/5 for safer-betting tools. If you want payment terms in writing before you join, NetBet is the one we rate as best suited for bettors who want payment terms spelled out.

• Licence. Find the company on the GRAI public register and check that the brand and web address match. Each of our reviews gives the licence number.
• Irish terms. Open the terms for Ireland and note the version and date. Rules on void bets, cash out and settlement live there, not in adverts.
• Identity checks. You must be 18 or over to open an account, and the bookmaker has to confirm your identity and age before the account opens. Have your ID and a recent proof of address ready.
• Payments. GRAI licensees may not accept credit cards, so expect debit cards, bank payments and e-wallets. Check minimums and fees, and whether withdrawals go back to the method you deposited with.
• Limits first. Set a deposit limit during sign-up, before your first bet, and note where time-outs, reality checks and self-exclusion are in the account menu.
• Support. See which channels are offered and whether hours are published, so you know where to go if something goes wrong. A complaint goes to the bookmaker first.

Betting is entertainment, not a way to earn money, and most bets lose. If it stops being fun, take a break and talk to someone: the GamblingCare National Helpline 1800 936 725 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; the HSE Drugs and Alcohol Helpline 1800 459 459 is open Monday to Friday, 9:30 to 17:30; Extern Problem Gambling can be reached on 089 241 5401; and Gamblers Anonymous Ireland on 01 872 1133. Our safer betting page explains limits, time-outs and blocking tools.

AdvertisingWe may be paid a commission when you open an account through links on this page. That can affect which bookmakers we feature and in what order — never the facts or our ratings. Every bookmaker listed holds a GRAI remote betting licence, checked on 3 October 2026. Advertising disclosure · How we rate · 18+