Official language: Irish, English
Population: 4,422,100
Currency: Euro (EUR)

Current Exchange Rate
1 GBP = 1.0681 EUR
1 USD = 0.6754 EUR

Poker in Ireland
Poker is quite popular in Ireland, but the legal status of the game is a bit tricky. The Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1956 made casino gambling in Ireland illegal. Loopholes have let private membership gambling clubs open to fill the gap. At these so-called "player clubs" poker games are played and tournaments are held. One important reason these special Irish poker games are legal is that the promoter does not take part of the pot in the form of rake.

In October of 2008, the largest European ranking poker tournament ever was held in Killarney. It was the Ladbrokes Irish Poker Festival and it attracted an amazing 832 participants. The huge number of players created a prize pool of €416,000. Ireland has also played host to other major poker tours and tournaments in recent years, including the European Poker Tour, the Irish Open, and the International Poker Open.

Online Poker in Ireland
Online poker in Ireland is fully legal so it is quite popular. From 2003 the Irish government has given out licenses to companies wanting to establish internet poker sites and other online gambling sites in Ireland. Online poker sites in Ireland are not taxed, making Ireland an ideal place to host them.

There are a few major Irish online poker sites where players can enjoy a good game and even take place in regular tournaments. Some of these sites also offer sports betting, bingo, and a selection of online casino games. Because internet poker winnings in Ireland are not taxed, Ireland is a great place to play online poker.