Crypto casino operator Stake has stopped serving customers in Ireland following engagement with the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), marking one of the regulator’s most significant actions against an international gambling operator since the country’s new licensing system took effect on July 1. Stake blocked Irish users during the week of Sept. 7, according to Yahoo News. Public records show no Irish license or published application notice from Stake or its operator, Medium Rare. Neither Stake nor GRAI has confirmed whether the closure is permanent, and Stake has not published Ireland-specific withdrawal instructions for customers with remaining balances.
Crypto casino operator Stake has stopped serving customers in Ireland following engagement with the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), Yahoo News reported.
Stake blocked Irish users during the week of Sept. 7, according to the report, which first appeared on ccn.com. The Irish Times first reported the intervention.
The move marks one of the regulator’s most significant actions against an international gambling operator since Ireland’s new licensing system took effect. Neither Stake nor GRAI has publicly confirmed whether the closure will be permanent.
GRAI can seek High Court orders against gambling businesses that continue to serve Irish customers without the appropriate license. Its enforcement guidance allows it to issue non-compliance notices and pursue criminal prosecutions or substantial financial penalties.
Fines for serious violations can reach €20 million or 10% of an operator’s turnover, according to the report. Stake’s decision to withdraw access prevented the situation from escalating immediately into a publicly recorded enforcement case.
Public records reviewed by CCN show no Irish license or published application notice from Stake or its operator, Medium Rare.
Ireland’s New Licensing System
Ireland’s first remote-betting licenses took effect on July 1. The initial phase covers online and telephone sportsbooks, as well as intermediaries that facilitate bets between customers.
GRAI said the new system introduces stricter requirements covering age verification, customer winnings and the use of credit. Operating a remote-betting service without a license is now a criminal offense in Ireland.
The regulator has identified unlicensed operators as a main enforcement priority and warned consumers that gambling through unauthorized platforms removes key protections.
Ireland is gradually introducing other license categories. Applications covering online gaming, lotteries and business-to-business gambling services are expected to open during 2027 and 2028.
The phased system could pose challenges for companies such as Stake, which combines a sportsbook, casino games and crypto payments on a single platform, according to the report.
No Ireland-Specific Withdrawal Instructions
Stake has not published Ireland-specific instructions explaining how existing customers can recover balances held on the platform. However, the company’s terms and conditions suggest that account restrictions should not automatically prevent customers from withdrawing legitimate funds.
The terms state that when Stake closes an account, it will inform the customer of the available methods for withdrawing any remaining balance. A separate provision advises users seeking to recover funds from a closed, locked or excluded account to contact support@stake.com.
Stake, which reports more than 44 million customers across 169 countries, exited Ireland amid a broader crackdown on offshore gambling platforms operating in the country.
GRAI is separately investigating 145 websites linked in leaked documents to the gambling technology company Soft2Bet and its partners. An Investigate Europe investigation reported in July that the 145 domains had been blacklisted by authorities in at least one jurisdiction.
The investigation also alleged that Soft2Bet and associated businesses received approximately €600 million from offshore casino operations. GRAI confirmed that it was examining each website with a view to possible enforcement.
The regulator said it had several live investigations into black-market gambling that could eventually result in prosecutions. Soft2Bet denied wrongdoing and said the reporting inaccurately portrayed its business and corporate structure.
At least two platforms named in the investigation later announced closures or became inaccessible, the report said.
