GRAI Signs Fourth MoU as Ireland Builds Its International Regulatory Network

Ireland's Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRAI) has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. It is the fourth such agreement the GRAI has put in place since coming into operation in March 2025.

The agreement sets out a cooperative framework that covers all aspects of gambling regulation. 

Alderney's regulator is expected to provide guidance as the GRAI moves into its first licensing phase. The GRAI was approved to begin issuing licences in February for both remote and in-person operations, and licenses are expected to begin rolling out this summer.

GRAI CEO Anne Marie Caulfield was positive about the link-up, saying: "The working relationship between Ireland and the Channel Islands is one that shares a common foundation of proportionate, innovative and professional regulation of gambling activities in both jurisdictions.

“This MoU signifies our commitment to working side by side with the Alderney Gambling Control Commission to protect the public."

Caulfield also discussed the functional value of the relationship: "As the GRAI begins to issue licences this coming summer, we look to counterpart regulators like the Alderney Gambling Control Commission to provide guidance and support. 

“We are grateful to them for their ongoing assistance as we continue to fulfil our public health mandate in protecting the most vulnerable in society, particularly young people."

The Alderney Gambling Control Commission has been regulating online gambling since 2000. For an authority still acclimatising, their knowledge of the institution is indispensable. 

This Alderny agreement follows earlier MoUs with the UK Gambling Commission, the Belgian Gaming Commission, and Gibraltar's regulator.

Under Ireland's new gambling framework, the regulator can issue fines of up to €20 million, or 10% of a licensee's turnover, so the pieces of a fully functioning regulatory regime are nearly set in place.

For Irish players, a regulatory MoU might not feel like the kind of news you'd text your friends about. But Alderney has regulated online gambling since 2000, and the GRAI has only been operating since March 2025. Leaning on one of the most experienced remote gambling regulators is a wise move for an authority that's still in the process of establishing itself. 

Many of the operators we use day-to-day are licensed in jurisdictions like Alderney, so better information sharing has a direct knock-on effect for how those operators are held to account.