Special Investigation: Multimillion casino sector operates outside law

They are prohibited under current Irish law, yet every city and large town in the country has at least one casino.

What’s more, successive administrations have not only failed to regulate the multimillion-euro industry by bringing gaming laws into the 21st century — the rules date from 1956 — but they have even failed to enforce the existing legislation by shutting the offending gaming clubs down.

Up to 50 casinos operate openly as “private members’ clubs” on some of the country’s main city centre streets.