Ireland iGaming Demand Rises 9.3%

Ireland online gambling demand rose sharply during the week that Stake blocked Irish users, but Blask data shows the operator did not drive the increase.

The Ireland Blask Index climbed 9.3% from September 14 to 20. Stake demand stayed within its normal September range, pointing instead toward wider market activity during a busy sports weekend.

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Good to Know

• Ireland iGaming demand increased 9.3% during the week.
• The Ireland Blask Index reached about 183,400 on September 20.
• Stake recorded an index of 831 that day, only 9.6% higher than the previous day and within earlier September levels.

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Ireland Demand Jump Was Wider Than Stake

Ireland market demand accelerated late in the week. The Blask Index reached 157,800 on September 19 before climbing to roughly 183,400 on September 20.

Those two days produced much of the weekly increase.

Stake followed a different pattern. Brand demand remained relatively stable throughout September, despite news that Irish users could no longer access the platform. The September 20 reading of 831 remained within levels already recorded earlier in the month.

Blask therefore provides little evidence that searches connected with Stake caused the wider Ireland gambling demand increase.

A crowded Sunday sports schedule offers another possible explanation. Football, GAA, rugby and golf all competed for betting attention on September 20. Blask recorded the strongest hourly Ireland reading around 06:00 UTC, when the market index reached 13,850.

However, Blask does not attribute the increase to one event or sport.

GRAI Enforcement Changes Ireland Betting Market

The data landed during a major regulatory change for Ireland online betting.

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland licensing framework took effect on July 1, 2026. By September 14, the regulator had issued 33 remote betting licences. Operators offering regulated betting products without the required licence can face enforcement action.

Stake blocked Irish access after engagement with GRAI. The Irish Times reported the action on September 14 and said Stake lacked the appropriate betting licence. Stake blocked its entire platform even though some casino products currently fall outside the new betting licensing framework.

GRAI said that “operators, including two major prediction markets and a major international online gambling platform, have geo-blocked their services, which means that they have voluntarily restricted access to their platforms for users from Ireland”.

The prediction market platforms were understood to be Kalshi and Polymarket. Stake has indicated that it plans to seek a GRAI licence, according to Blask.

What the Blask Index Actually Measures

The distinction between market demand and gambling revenue is important.

Blask Index measures search demand for iGaming brands using geo tagged search information that Blask cleans and normalises. It does not measure betting handle, deposits, revenue or website traffic.

A flat Stake reading therefore means search attention toward Stake did not materially increase during the Ireland market jump. It cannot show whether former Stake customers opened accounts with licensed competitors.

Current Blask market data lists Paddy Power, BoyleSports and Bet365 as the three largest brands in Ireland by Brand Accumulated Power.

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