Ireland’s National Lottery Regulator receives 28 complaints during 2025

The Regulator of the National Lottery in Ireland received 28 complaints during 2025, with the largest category concerning the online player experience. The figures appear in the office’s annual report, which also reviews the operator’s marketing practices, player-protection measures and financial performance. The National Lottery is operated by Premier Lotteries Ireland DAC under a licence issued by the Irish Government.

Ten complaints concerned the online experience, seven related to game design and five addressed information supplied to players. A further five concerned retailers, while one submission was considered unrelated to the National Lottery. The figures record issues brought to the regulator’s attention and do not, by themselves, establish that every concern was upheld or that a breach occurred.

Telly Bingo wording reviewed

The report describes a review of language used in the Telly Bingo television programme. Following complaints received in 2024 and 2025, the regulator asked for expressions such as “easy money” and “giving away lots of cash” to be removed from the programme’s script.

The regulator considered that the phrases could give viewers a misleading impression of the product. Telly Bingo prizes are awarded under the game’s rules to eligible ticket holders, rather than being distributed to everyone who watches or takes part. The operator accepted the request and agreed to remove the wording.

The matter illustrates the regulator’s role in monitoring how lottery products are presented to the public, including the language used in television programming. The report describes a request to amend the script and does not characterise the matter as a wider enforcement action.

Marketing and responsible play measures

The regulator also examined marketing emails sent to National Lottery account holders. These emails are distributed only to players who have explicitly opted in. The annual report says the operator “monitors player activity for risk indicators that are suggestive of problem gambling” and sends a “responsible play communication” encouraging players to reflect on their spending.

The review found that marketing emails were routinely disabled when certain risk indicators were detected. The regulator recommended extending the period during which promotional emails are withheld from this group of players and the operator agreed.

These measures form part of the wider player-protection framework. Opt-in consent governs who receives marketing, while risk monitoring and tailored communications are intended to reduce the likelihood of promotional messages reaching people who may be experiencing gambling-related difficulties. The regulator's review assesses the measures in place, although no single control can eliminate gambling-related harm.

National Lottery sales rise in 2025

National Lottery ticket sales reached €871.6 million in 2025, compared with €855.7 million in 2024. The increase was approximately 1.8% year on year. Sales included purchases made through retail outlets and the operator’s online channel.

Online sales totalled approximately €168.2 million, representing 19.3% of all sales. Close to one in five euros spent on National Lottery products therefore came through the online channel, while retail sales accounted for the remaining 80.7%.

The regulator’s published commercial figures put funds generated for good causes at €238.7 million in 2025, equal to 27.4% of sales. The money supports community initiatives, charities and public services across Ireland, reflecting the lottery’s public funding role alongside its commercial activity.

Researchers call for tighter scratchcard safeguards

A separate policy debate has focused on the availability of low-cost scratchcards. Researchers from the Technological University of the Shannon, Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Limerick and University College Cork have called for a ban on €1 and €2 scratchcards as part of a wider package intended to reduce gambling-related harm.

Their proposals appear in a paper published in the Irish Journal of Medical Science, titled Combatting gambling in Ireland: adopting demand and supply strategies from the fight against big tobacco and alcohol. The lead author, Dr Frank Houghton, is Principal Investigator of the Tobacco, Alcohol and Gambling Research Group at the Technological University of the Shannon.

The researchers argue that inexpensive scratchcards may be particularly accessible to children and young people. Their recommendations include tighter restrictions on gambling advertising and point-of-sale marketing, health warnings on scratchcards and betting slips, plain packaging, stronger enforcement and higher gambling taxes. They also propose a retailer licence fee for National Lottery sales and raising the minimum gambling age from 18 to 21.

These are recommendations from the researchers, not changes to current law or confirmation that regulators have adopted them. The paper presents a public-health approach drawing comparisons with measures used to regulate tobacco and alcohol products.

Underage access is one issue cited in support of closer scrutiny. Test-purchasing research commissioned by the lottery regulator in 2024 found that almost 30% of participating retailers were prepared to sell a lottery product to a child. The finding relates to that specific exercise and is not a claim about every retailer.

The researchers also refer to an Economic and Social Research Institute study from 2023, which estimated that around 130,000 adults in Ireland experienced problem gambling, while a further 279,000 showed moderate signs of gambling-related problems. Those figures provide wider public-health context and are not specific to National Lottery customers.

Conclusion

The 28 complaints recorded in 2025 offer a snapshot of the matters raised with Ireland’s National Lottery regulator, with online experience emerging as the largest category. The annual report also outlines scrutiny of Telly Bingo wording and marketing practices, including measures intended to take account of player risk indicators.

The sales figures underline the National Lottery’s continuing role in generating funds for good causes, while showing that online purchases account for almost one-fifth of total sales. That public contribution sits alongside the need for clear product information, effective oversight and responsible marketing.

The proposed restrictions on low-cost scratchcards bring children’s access and wider public-health concerns into the discussion. Although the recommendations have not become law, they add to the questions facing policymakers and regulators about retail safeguards, advertising and age controls.

Ultimately, the developments highlight the importance of balancing the National Lottery’s financial contribution with appropriate consumer protection. Transparent reporting, proportionate regulatory supervision and accessible responsible-play measures remain important elements of that balance. The discussion surrounding scratchcards also demonstrates why gambling policy must consider not only commercial performance but also accessibility and the potential consequences for vulnerable groups.

FAQs – Ireland’s Lottery Regulator: 28 Complaints in 2025

How many complaints did Ireland’s National Lottery regulator receive in 2025?
The Regulator of the National Lottery received 28 complaints during 2025, according to its annual report.

What was the most common subject of complaints?
The online player experience accounted for the largest category, with 10 complaints recorded.

How many complaints concerned game design?
Seven complaints related to game design, making it the second-largest category.

Why did the regulator request changes to Telly Bingo?
The regulator requested the removal of expressions such as “easy money” and “giving away lots of cash” because they could create a misleading impression of the product.

Did the National Lottery operator accept the requested changes?
Yes. The operator agreed to remove the expressions from the Telly Bingo programme's script.

How much did the National Lottery generate in ticket sales during 2025?
Sales reached €871.6 million in 2025, representing an increase of approximately 1.8% compared with 2024.

How much of the National Lottery's sales came from online purchases?
Online sales amounted to approximately €168.2 million, equivalent to 19.3% of total sales.

How much funding was generated for good causes?
The regulator's published commercial figures record €238.7 million for good causes in 2025, representing 27.4% of total sales.

Why are researchers calling for a ban on €1 and €2 scratchcards?
The researchers believe inexpensive scratchcards are particularly accessible to children and young people. They argue that restrictions could form part of a broader strategy to reduce gambling-related harm.

Have the proposed scratchcard restrictions become law in Ireland?
No. The proposed ban and related measures are recommendations from academic researchers. They should not be interpreted as enacted legislation or confirmed regulatory decisions.