Irish study: 54% of online gamblers hold a second account, GRAI-commissioned ESRI research finds

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) has published findings from research by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) that give a fuller view of how people in the country gamble. The work surveyed 1,000 adult gamblers and is described as one of the most comprehensive studies the regulator has commissioned since it began operating in March 2025.

Online gambling was the most common form of play. Some 77% of respondents had gambled online at least once in the previous 12 months, compared with 59% who had gambled in person, while 44% had used both channels. Among people who opened an online account to bet on sports, nearly four in ten went on to try other products such as iGaming, slots and scratch cards.

Multiple accounts were widespread. More than half of online players, 54%, had opened a second account, citing the search for good odds and promotional offers. Around 10% of online gamblers held four or more accounts.

The data suggests marketing may be less influential than operators assume: only one in seven respondents said their latest online session came directly after an email, app notification or gambling advert.

The study also pointed to some harm-related patterns. One in five online players said their sessions took time away from family and work, a share that was one in seven among in-person gamblers. Losing was more common than breaking even or winning, with 57% of online players and 50% of in-person gamblers finishing their most recent session with less money than they started with. A quarter of respondents said they were cutting back on gambling or planned to, although one in three of those already trying to reduce said they were spending the same amount or more than the year before.

Respondents also said it is easier to open an online account and deposit than to close an account and withdraw winnings, with technological friction and psychological factors both playing a part.

GRAI chief executive Anne Marie Caulfield said one of the authority's statutory functions is to monitor developments in gambling practices to identify issues that could lead to more harmful gambling. She said the regulator needs to understand consumers' real-life experiences, increasingly in online settings, to identify practices of concern and assess the effectiveness of regulation.