The Republic of Ireland has been in a stalemate on whether to legalize gambling or not. As it stands, gambling in land casinos is regulated rather than legalized. There are restrictions on who can operate casinos, how many casinos countrywide, and the number of tables and infrastructure.
Ireland has succeeded in regulating commercial gambling, but it has been hard for it to regulate online casinos, and mobile gaming, just like the rest of the world. Irish players can still play on the vast offshore casinos without any restrictions. The availability of internet and Smartphones also mean everyone can play, anywhere.