Online gambling is allowed since 2015

Introduction: 2015 as a starting point

Since 2015, Portugal has had a separate legal regime for online gambling and betting. It is separate from the "terrestrial" casino law and sets transparent rules for operators and players: licensing by type of product, strict supervision, protection of minors and a responsible default game mechanism.

What exactly is allowed online

Sports betting: coefficient and pool, including live markets.

Online casinos: video slots, roulette, blackjack and other tables, incl. live formats subject to technical requirements.

Online poker: cash games and tournaments.

Lottery and other games - within the framework of licenses issued and the historical role of the national operator of social games.

Each product is licensee-only, with an approved game stack/providers and a certified RNG/engine.

Who regulates: SRIJ

Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (SRIJ) is a profile regulator within Turismo de Portugal. His area of responsibility online:

issuance and renewal of licenses, admission of content providers;
inspections, reporting audits, remote monitoring of game events and transactions;
control of payments, calculations of winnings, correctness of rules;
supervision of advertising and communications, including work with influencers;
fighting illegal sites and "mirrors."

Basic operator requirements

1. Product licensing and platform/game technical certification.

2. KYC/AML: verification of age and identity (18 +), threshold checks of the source of funds, sanction/geo-filters, transaction logs.

3. Technical circuit and reliability: log storage, calculation replayer, fault tolerance, data protection (encryption, role access).

4. Responsible play (RG): self-exclusion, deposit/time/bet limits, reality checks, visible warnings and help contacts.

5. Advertising: a ban on the glorification of winnings and appeal to a youth audience, frequency and format restrictions, legal screening of creatives.

6. Reporting and taxes: regular unloading of betting/winning/balance aggregates and correct payment of fees.

Rules for the player

Play only with SRIJ licensees. On the site/in the application, the status of the license must be public and relevant.

Pass KYC and turn on limits - this increases security and gives access to full functionality.

Check settlement and return rules, payment terms and support channels.

Avoid "gray" sites: the risk of blocking, non-payment and data leakage.

Payments and disbursements

Bank cards, local methods and e-wallets are allowed from providers that meet AML requirements.

Crypto can only be considered as a payment option through authorized providers with full identification and fiat fixation of amounts within accounting; anonymous schemes - outside the legal field.

Critical market KPI - output speed: transparent SLAs and "on the same channel" where possible.

Advertising and Communications

Promises of "easy money," appeals to social success, "youth" tone and visual are prohibited.

Warning messages and access to RG settings from anywhere on the interface are required.

When working with influencers - strictly 18 +, neutral tone and visible disclaimers.

Evolution 2015 → 2025: what the market has learned

Channeling traffic to the licensed segment due to blocking illegal immigrants and convenient legal payments.

The growth of mobile and live formats as a core is online - with a low coefficient delay and correct Cash Out.

Strengthening RG: reality checks, limits "in 1-2 clicks," risk metrics in management boards.

API technical supervision: simplified checks and accelerated enforcement.

Frequent operator errors - and how to avoid them

Insufficient verification and weak SoF/SoW thresholds → tighten KYC procedures and logs.

Opaque bonuses → simplify conditions, bring key rules to visible screens.

Gaps in reporting → automate uploads, set up aggregate reconciliations and anomaly monitoring.

Aggressive advertising → move to a content approach (guides, analytics, RG training), CRM personalization and honest UX.

Quality metrics for online operator

Activation: the share that passed KYC and made the first deposit.

Time-to-bet/Time-to-payout: speed from entry to first bet to withdrawal.

Live share and rPS: live share and replays per session.

Cash Out usage: frequency and proportion of partial/auto-closures.

RG indicators: proportion of users with limits, frequency of timeouts, early risk markers.

Technical SLOs: feed uptime, coefficient update delay, coupon error rate.

Looking Ahead: 2025-2030

A tough but predictable regime will remain: competition will go into product quality, payments, mobile UX and RG design.

Probably increased requirements for the transparency of interfaces (history of coefficient changes, understandable returns), as well as for the privacy and audit of personalization algorithms.

The market will remain robust for disciplined operators and safe for users.

Online gambling in Portugal has been legal since 2015 - according to clear rules, with strong supervision and a priority for responsible play. For players, this means secure services and predictable payments; for operators - a high entry threshold, but also a stable environment where honest UX, speed, compliance and transparency win.