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Population: 1.894.000
Active players: 695.000
Currency: Pound sterling (GBP)
Regulated gambling products: Sports betting, horse racing, casino games, lottery
Operator types: Betting shops and unlicensed online bookies and casinos
Designated authority: Department of Communities
Status: Unregulated
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1921, following the partition of Ireland. It is the birthplace of the legendary football player George Best and football managers Martin O’Neill and Brendan Rodgers. The Northern Ireland Executive is the country’s devolved government since December 2, 1999, according to the provisions of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which followed the Good Friday Agreement of April 10, 1998, that ended the Troubles.
In terms of gambling, the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements Order 1985 is the current legislation. The country does not have a gambling regulator, as the UKGC's jurisdiction does not extend to the region. Therefore, the market is not regulated and punters can wager on any bookie they prefer. Football, rugby and Gaelic football are the most popular sports and players opt for decent betting sites in Northern Ireland, such as William Hill and Ladbrokes, in order to place their bets on their favorite events.
Betting in Northern Ireland - 5 things to know
- Sports betting is legal under the “1985 Order”
- The legal age of betting at bookmakers is 18
- The country does not have an official regulatory authority
- No licenses have been issued so far for online bookies
- The prevalence rate of problem gambling in NI is 2.3% - 4 times higher than in England
Best betting sites in Northern Ireland
The following list consists of the best betting sites Northern Ireland has to offer. We selected them due to their high odds, wide array of betting markets and great promotions.
Players Rating: (12 Rates) 8.6
Players Rating: (12 Rates) 8.6
Online betting Northern Ireland: The gambling law framework
Gambling became legal in Northern Ireland as soon as the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements Order 1985 came into force. “The 1985 Order” was based on Britain’s Betting and Gaming Act 1960 which was eventually replaced by the Gambling Act 2005. Despite the fact that the specific Act covers the other countries in the UK, it does not extend to Northern Ireland. “The 1985 Order” remains the country’s gambling legislation. It was only amended once by the Betting and Lotteries Order 1994.
The current legislation is complex and obsolete and it does not address online gambling. It also failed to establish an independent gambling regulator. So the courts and district councils are responsible for overseeing gambling activities and the Department of Communities is tasked with the supervision of track betting. Bookmakers should have a license from the Magistrates’ Courts to operate and accept on-course and off-course bets. Wagering in betting shops and online is a popular pastime. Bet McLean, Toals and Hughes Bet are the bookies that dominate the land-based betting market. When it comes to online bookmakers, Northern Ireland has absolutely no restrictions and brands such as Betfair, William Hill and Ladbrokes are among the top in the country.
Football is considered the most popular sport in Northern Ireland. Thus, it comes as no surprise that football betting is the most widespread betting activity in the country. The top domestic league is the NIFL Premiership and William Hill Northern Ireland is one of the best bookies with a solid 95% football payout. Rugby is the second most popular sport in the country, according to the majority of punters. Ladbrokes Northern Ireland comes with a 95% overall payout and is one of the top sportsbooks for rugby union betting. Gaelic football is also very popular among local bettors. Paddy Power Northern Ireland, which reaches 94% overall payout, is the top choice for Gaelic football betting in terms of odds and betting markets.
The most popular deposit methods among Northern Irish punters are credit/debit cards, bank transfer, Paysafecard, PayPal and the e-wallets Skrill and Neteller. It is worth noting though, that specifically gambling on credit cards is deemed very harmful for problem gamblers. Therefore, members of the Legislative Assembly have proposed the establishment of a law that will ban the use of credit cards for online gambling, similar to the one that came into effect in the rest of the UK on April 14, 2020.
The current gambling legislation is becoming increasingly outdated since it does not include any reference to online gambling, so it has not kept pace with the industry and all the changes surrounding it. According to the results of the consultation on the regulation of gambling conducted by the Department of Communities between December 16, 2019 and February 21, 2020, the revision of the law is imperative. Consequently, significant legislative and regulatory changes are expected in the country sooner rather than later.
Complete list of Northern Ireland bookmakers
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All forms of gambling in Northern Ireland are considered legal since the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements Order 1985 came into effect. Nevertheless, the current legislation does not address online gambling activities, since it was established back in the 1980s.
No, winnings deriving from land-based or online bookmakers based in Northern Ireland are not subject to tax. This means that local punters are able to place their bets on their favorite bookies and keep the full amount of what they win.
There are several decent online sportsbooks that operate in Northern Ireland. However, the best in terms of odds, betting markets and daily promotions are Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and Coral Northern Ireland.
Football is the most popular sport in the country and locals are among the most passionate football bettors in the whole UK. William Hill and Betfred Northern Ireland are the best football bookies, since they provide very competitive odds, along with 1000+ markets on a daily basis.
