Ireland had the most daring gamblers before the Scandinavians took that title. In 2019, TheJournal.ie ran an exposé on the slot machine industry; they discovered that they were about 40,000 machines functioning all over the country. The research also estimated that the number of serious gamblers is around 20,000.
Sports betting in Ireland is prevalent. The country has also produced a few poker stars, with Noel Furlong’s 1999 WSOP trophy being the most memorable one. Other famous Irish poker players include Terry Rogers, Andrew “Andy” Black, Dermot Blain, Marc MacDonnell, Dara O’Kearney, and Donnacha O’Dea.
The Popularity of Poker in Ireland
According to Daniel Cassidy’s essay on entomology, modern-day poker has its roots from the Irish game poca. It is important to know that the work word “Poca” means “Pocketing.” In poca, people will take bets against themselves, pocketing the money. The game is a bit different, being that we all can now bet against the house. Ireland also has the Irish Poker drinking game where a player must take a drink if he/she lost a hand.
Playing Poker in Ireland
Online poker rooms have a larger share market in Ireland than the brick-and-mortar ones. Ireland also different poker rooms with the best internet casino with great offers for Irish players. Dublin has the most brick-and-mortar casinos in the country. For online poker, you can play anywhere irrespective of your location in the country.
Live Poker Legislation in Ireland
The first gambling law was passed in 1854. Even though this is a long history, the legal framework is in order at the moment.
The Republic of Ireland doesn’t prohibit land-based casinos from operating entirely in the country. And business owners are allowed to run so-called “members, only gambling clubs.” The main difference between these “actual” casinos is their size.
However, the legal landscape permits certain games of luck to be regulated entirely – in the cases of slot machines. Poker in Ireland is legal.
Poker Tournaments in Ireland
Poker tournaments in Ireland are held regularly. So far, the country has had four seasons of the UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT), where small poker events are held in different locations. PokerStars arranged nine poker tournaments in various cities in the UK and Ireland.
Ireland also has the Irish Poker Open, which holds the most distinguished record for being the longest-running poker festival in Europe.
Online Poker in Ireland
Currently, the Irish online poker market is regulated, and about five different government authorities are supervising it. However, the country’s parliament enacted a new gambling bill in 2013.
Nevertheless, this means that online poker companies have to apply for licenses in the state to offer services in the country and pay taxes to the Irish government. However, poker players can freely play poker in the country, knowing they are playing at a wholly vetted center. Additionally, poker rooms are evaluated by third-party companies such as Fair Play to ensure that the algorithms of these rooms are at random.
Ireland also has the ASA law, which ensures that poker isn’t aggressively advertised to the public.
