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Are you out to find the best online casino in Portugal? If so, you must know the local laws and regulations.
Read to learn how laws work, which top Portugal casino sites have licenses and if you're allowed to play at them.
Table of contents You just did. According to our comprehensive review process, this page is featuring the best online casinos in Portugal.
Gambling has been LEGAL in Portugal for more than a century. The country has been regulating the gambling market since 1916.
| Relevant legislation | |
Local: | The EU: Article 56 TFEU4 |
Find all the legislation governing the Portuguese gambling market here.
Yes, online gambling has been LEGAL in Portugal since 2015.
Relevant legislation: |
Find the legal framework for online gambling in Portugal here.
There are two bodies in charge of gaming.
The former manages sanctions and inspection, while the latter manages online casino licensing.
SRIJ is a part of the Portuguese Tourism Institute under the Economy and the Sea Ministry.
Three types of games can receive licenses by the SRIJ:
Since 2015, ONLY licensed online gambling platforms CAN ACCEPT players from Portugal. These Portuguese online casinos are subject to gambling tax.
Playing on offshore gambling platforms in Portugal is legal. However, the country only officially supports platforms licensed by Portuguese authorities. So, playing on offshore casinos is Legal, but not officially. Also, Portugal actively blocks access to unlicensed online casinos. So, you may find your brand banned at some point.
Having that said, there are no other problems for a player from Portugal who accesses an offshore licensed gambling site. The Portuguese authorities do not prosecute such players for using these unlicensed platforms.
Check out the list of entities licensed by the SRIJ to get up-to-date info.
Yes, they can. All non-permanent residents are free to play while in Portugal.
Because of its strict regulation, gambling in Portugal is relatively SAFE.
If you wanna be extra sure about the casino, look for a platform with a seal from respectable int'l auditors, like:
Yes, there are 13 casinos in Portugal. The two biggest market players, Estoril-Sol and Solverde, run most of them.
The brick-and-mortar casinos in Portugal are:
These venues are restricted to several areas.
Currently, there are 10 areas in Portugal where gambling is allowed:
Casino Estoril is the oldest and most famous casino in Portugal. It has operated since 1916. At the same time, Estoril is among the biggest online casino platforms in the country.
Yes, there is.
Casinos pay different proportions depending on their establishment's location. The tax goes from 4.5 to as high as 40%. In fact, many big players left Portugal because of its high licensing fees and taxes.
Online gambling is taxed at the rate of 25%.
You NEED NOT pay taxes on any gambling winnings in Portugal. Goes for both land-based and online casino gambling.
Players must be 18 years of age or older to gamble in Portugal.
Cryptocurrencies are NOT ILLEGAL in Portugal. Still, the regulatory framework on crypto gambling is missing.
Currently, NO brick-and-mortar venue in Portugal accepts cryptocurrencies.
Portugal-licensed foreign online casino operators ACCEPT cryptocurrencies. Portuguese players can play on offshore crypto online casinos with local gambling permits.
The table outlines the key developments in the story of gambling in Portugal.
| Year | Event |
| 1783 | The National lottery comes into existence and becomes legal. |
| 1916 | Gambling becomes legal in Portugal. Casino Estoril opens as the first gambling venue. |
| 1929 | Betting is legal in Portugal. |
| 1970 | Women can access casinos on their own. |
| 1989 | Portugal creates new gambling legislation regulating more forms of games. |
| 2000 | Online lottery is legal as a state monopoly. |
| 2015 | Online gambling is legal in Portugal. |
| 2016 | Betlclic receives the first online gambling license. |
Here's a quick fix on online gambling laws in Portugal.
