GRAI research puts operator CRM in focus

• ESRI surveys 1,000 Irish gamblers in a study commissioned by the GRAI.
• One in seven respondents’ last online session followed an operator message or advert.
• Almost four in ten racing and sports bettors moved on to other gambling products.

One in seven Irish gamblers said their last online session started straight after an operator email, app notification or gambling advert, according to a study published on 4 November.

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) carried out the research for the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), which is preparing new account and marketing rules for licensed operators.

Emails, alerts and ads

The ESRI surveyed 1,000 adults who had gambled in the past year. People whose only gambling was buying lottery tickets or scratchcards in shops were left out. Four in five respondents had an online account, and 44% gambled both online and in person.

Most heard from operators regularly. Nearly two-thirds of account holders received marketing emails, 52% received app notifications and 16% received texts. One in four of those getting app notifications said they arrived at least once a day.

Marketing was not the only trigger. Watching sport came before 19% of recent online sessions. Boredom or stress came before 16.4%, and trying to win back a loss before 5.6%.

Anne Marie Caulfield, CEO of the GRAI, said:

“Gambling is no longer something that people go looking for — increasingly, gambling finds them.”

More accounts, more products

Most account holders in the study bet with more than one operator. Some 53% had at least two accounts, mainly for better odds, easy sign-up and promotional offers. Around one in ten respondents had four or more.

Many also changed what they played. Almost four in ten people who opened an account to bet on horse racing or sport later moved on to online casino games, slots, bingo or scratchcards.

Online players bet more often. Two-thirds placed at least one bet a week, compared with 48% of people who gamble in person. They also reported bigger losses: 26% said they lost “a lot” in their last session, against 17% in person.

One in five online sessions interrupted something else, most often work.

Easy in, slower out

Players found it easier to put money in than to take it out. Some 70% of online gamblers who deposited called it “very easy”. Only 57% said the same about withdrawing winnings.

Closing an account was harder still for some. Of the 29% who had closed one, almost one in five said the process was difficult.

Pete Lunn, head of the ESRI’s Behavioural Research Unit, said:

“This new study sheds light on the pathways that people take that may ultimately lead them to harm. It raises issues of what online consumers are signing up for and whether they know and understand that.”

Cutting back without tools

One in four respondents said they were trying to cut back, or planned to. A third of those already trying were gambling as much as, or more than, a year earlier.

Most relied on willpower. That was the approach for 48% of those cutting back online and 63% of those cutting back in person. Fewer than one in ten used self-exclusion.

Licensing so far

Caulfield said the research shows new obligations are needed for licensed operators:

“This research confirms the need for new obligations which will be placed on licensed operators, particularly around account opening and closing requirements, and the ability to set spending limits and advertising restrictions.”

The GRAI said it has issued 41 licences since remote licensing began in July, covering 98% of the online betting market, TheJournal.ie reported. In-person betting licences follow from 1 December 2026, under the regulator’s transition timetable.

The GRAI has also acted against “dozens” of black-market betting businesses since the new laws took effect, the Irish Times reported.

What changes next

Only part of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 is in force so far, the ESRI notes. The researchers suggest the GRAI look at how operators get consent to send notifications and how easily players can switch them off. They also want withdrawals made as simple as deposits.

The report also points to a power in the Act that could limit online accounts to specific types of gambling. Players would then need a separate account for each activity. The ESRI says more research is needed on whether moving into new products after sign-up leads to harm.

Gaming, including online casino, comes next. Caulfield described the gaming market as “completely unregulated”, the Irish Examiner reported. Applications for gaming licences are due to open in 2027, and all other forms of gambling will be licensed from 2028.

Casino operators applying for Irish licences will face a regulator that has already studied how players respond to their emails and app alerts.