Online casinos in Portugal: A stable EU market

Online casinos in Portugal: a stable EU market (full text)

💡 Status as of October 17, 2025.

1) Legal framework and regulator

The online market operates according to RJO - Regime Jurídico dos Jogos e Apostas Online, approved by Decree-Law No. 66/2015 of April 29. It sets the volume of permitted online products, licensing and supervision.

Supervision is carried out by SRIJ (Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos) in the structure of Turismo de Portugal: licenses, technical certification, control of advertising materials, blocking illegal sites/payments.

2) What is allowed online

Casino games (slots, roulette, blackjack, etc.), poker/bingo, sports betting and horse racing (fixed and pool) - with a Portuguese license. Offering from abroad without a license is prohibited.

Required: KYC/AML, local "input and registration" infrastructure of the operator (gateway + safe) for accounting and reporting.

3) Licensing: What it looks like

Submission to relevant online verticals (casino/poker/bingo; sports betting; horse racing), technical certification of the platform and RNG/games, provision of "substance" in Portugal for part of the infrastructure, readiness for audit/reporting according to SRIJ templates.

In practice, a significant bank guarantee/deposit is required and strict reporting deadlines are met.

4) Taxes: IEJO and cost structure

Portugal applies IEJO special online tax; rates vary by product category:

Casino games/poker/bingo: fixed 25% of GGR (from January 1, 2020 instead of the previous scale of 15-30%).
Sports betting (fixed odds) and horse racing (fix/pool): 8% of betting turnover (handle) - flat bet after reforms.

IEJO is charged at the operator level, not the player; this is confirmed by specialized legal reviews.

💡 Practical effect: Vertical casino pays with GGR and sport pays with turnover, so slots/tables are sensitive to RTP and bonus policy and bets are sensitive to line margin and turnover.

5) Taxes from players

Winnings from licensed online operators are usually not subject to personal income tax - the tax burden is laid down in IEJO (exceptions apply to other types of state lottery/thresholds, outside the focus of this article).

6) Responsible play and self-exclusion

As part of the RJO/SRIJ, the following are required: limits, timeouts, reality checks, self-exclusion. The national system of self-exclusion is actively used: according to SRIJ, in the 2nd quarter. 2024, online activity reached €261.8 million GGR, while self-excluded - ~ 257 thousand, and in 2025 their number continued to grow.

7) Advertising and enforcement

Advertising is strictly regulated by the SRIJ: age targeting, transparent T&C bonuses, and a ban on misleading practices are needed. Violators will face fines and blocking of domains/payments; SRIJ regularly publishes instructions and reports on enforcement.

8) Market in 2025: Why it's called "stable"

After the rapid growth of 2023-2024. the industry entered a plateau/flat trend phase: quarterly reports show high, but more predictable GGR values; Q2 2025 - about €287 million GGR (+ 9.6% YoY), IEJO collected at a sustainable level.

The combination of an understandable tax model, mature supervision and rebuilt compliance procedures forms a low-risk EU jurisdiction for medium and large scale operators.

9) Mini roadmap for the operator

1. Vertical selection and unit economy calculation taking into account: 25% GGR (casino) vs 8% handle (sports).

2. Technical readiness: certification of RNG/games, building "gateway + safe" in Portugal, reporting on SRIJ forms.

3. RG/AML processes: default limits, fraud monitoring, escalation routes, readiness for inspections.

4. Marketing-compliance: age-gating, transparent bonuses, control of affiliates/creatives.

10) Player FAQ

Is it legal to play online in Portugal?

Yes, operators with a SRIJ license under RJO (Decree-Law No. 66/2015).

Do I need to pay tax on online casino winnings?

Usually not: IEJO is paid by the operator, not the player.

Why are the margins higher in rates than in some countries?

Because sports in Portugal are taxed from turnover (8%), and not from GGR, which puts pressure on the line.

Is there a working system of self-exclusion?

Yes, national - the number of self-excluded is growing; check the self-restriction options in your personal account.

Portugal is a mature, predictable and "procedural" EU market: a single RJO, a strong SRIJ, clear licenses and a transparent IEJO (25% GGR for casinos and 8% handle for sports). For operators, this is about compliance discipline and a neat economy; for players - about legal play for licensed brands, built-in limits and working self-exclusion.