Best 42 Online Casino​s in Portugal

Portugal’s history of gambling is actually not that big and does not include too many details. 1989 is the year when gambling operators were officially legalized in the country. Before that, there was no land-based gambling facility of any kind. The only known facility of this kind was Casino Estoril which has been in operation since 1916. Casino Estoril remains the biggest land-based casino in Portugal to this day.

Before this activity was made legal, gambling was just run in private clubs as a side attraction because they were not specifically regulated. But, after the Game Law was brought in 1989, gambling facilities started opening their doors to Portuguese people.

As time passed by, the residents of this country became fond of playing games of this type, which is why the industry started growing. Portuguese players even started accessing online casinos because these sites had tons of great features. In the beginning, online gambling was not regulated, which is why the players were able to access off-shore sites without facing any penalties.

With the new Decree-Law, which was brought in 2015, online gambling became legal in Portugal. Operators were free to offer their services to Portuguese people after they obtained a license. The government even started blocking IP addresses from casino sites that were unlicensed.

Gambling in Portugal these days remains a popular activity. However, it is worth noting several things. Ever since online casinos became legal, the government provided the operators with new taxes, which were extremely high. As of 2021, the taxes for online casinos vary between 15-30%, which places Portugal at the top when it comes to tax rankings in Europe and the world.

The high taxes are the main reason why numerous reputable online casinos do not offer their services in Portugal anymore. To make things even more complicated, the government’s blockade on unlicensed sites is not that effective as these online casinos always find a way around it and many Portuguese players end up accessing these sites to play casino games.

As for the land-based casinos, there are a total of 10 of them in Portugal. 9 of them are located on the mainland and 1 is in Madeira.

The future of online casinos in Portugal is a bit uncertain. Not in terms of its degrading popularity, but in terms of effectiveness and efficiency when it comes to regulating it. Since the taxes are high, many operators have quit targeting this market, which leaves more space for unlicensed sites.

Gambling is popular and loved by Portuguese players, but they are now forced to access unlicensed sites on numerous occasions if they want to enjoy the latest casino games. Accessing unlicensed sites comes with huge risk as they can be targeted for scams. The government does have a system which is designed to block unlicensed sites, but it is not as effective as they originally thought.

To get things back into normal, the government must do two things. First, find a way to attract licensed and reputable online casinos to offer their services to Portuguese players. Lowering taxes is a great idea as it is the main reason why these operators have left. Then, they need to improve their system and block all unlicensed sites. By bettering these two areas, the gambling industry will be regulated much better in Portugal, which is a win-win situation for both the government and the players.

Casinos are legal in Portugal. Land-based gambling became legal in the country in 1989 when the Decree-Law allowed operators to open up and offer their services to the people. Before 2015, online gambling was not regulated, but players were fond of these sites which is why they accessed these sites quite often.

With the Decree-Law No. 66/2015, which was brought in 2015, online casinos finally became legal and people were able to register and play at all licensed online casinos. The government even developed a system that blocks unlicensed sites in the country, but time proved that this system is not as effective as they thought. Many Portuguese players still access unlicensed sites as they find ways to go around the government’s security protocols.

Not only that, but the gambling taxes in Portugal are enormous. Online operators pay taxes on revenue that range between 15-30%, which is extremely high, compared to taxes in other countries. The taxes are the very reason why numerous reputable operators do not offer their services to Portuguese people anymore. Additionally, even though players are formally not allowed to access unlicensed sites, the government issues no penalties to those that do access them.

As for the regulations, the Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos do Turismo de Portugal is the authority that oversees all gambling-related activities in Portugal. This regulatory body also issues licenses to gambling operators (both land-based and online casinos). According to Portuguese law, the legal gambling games that are eligible for licenses are the following:

• Bingo
• Games of chance such as baccarat blackjack, slot games, poker in tournament mode, various types of poker such as Hold’em, Omaha, Caribbean, etc.
• Horse-racing betting
• Fixed odds sports betting There are a total of 10 land-based casinos in Portugal, as stated earlier. The country is divided into gambling zones and one casino is permitted to exist in each zone. 9 of the land-based casinos are located on the mainland, while 1 is on Madeira.

As for the taxes, the amount varies a lot. For example, bingo halls are subject to 25% tax on revenue, games of chances and mutual bets on horse races are also 25%, while online gambling is subject to special tax law.

Finally, the taxes on fixed sports betting and fixed horse racing betting are 8% if the operators have other sources of income not related to gambling, and 35% if sports betting is their only revenue. As for the players, their winnings are not subject to taxes at all. The legal age for gambling in Portugal is 18.

Poker is the favourite casino game for a majority of Portuguese players. There are several variations of poker that the players from this country find amusing. Hold’Em, Caribbean, and Omaha poker are the three top pics. The reason why poker is so popular is that it requires a lot of skill and players get to use their knowledge against other players from numerous countries around the world.

Next up, sports betting is a very popular activity too, especially when it comes to football. After all, you cannot blame the people for this – arguably the best football player of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo, is from Portugal. So, the people are die-hard fans of football and Ronaldo, but they are also extremely fond of placing bets.

Slot games come in second. These games are extremely simple to play. All players have to do is set their desired bet amount and just spin the wheel. There are two types of slots, depending on the jackpot – standard/fixed and progressive. The jackpot at standard slots remains the same, while jackpots on progressive slots increase as players keep playing. Progressive slots often have jackpot prizes that exceed several millions of dollars.

Coming in last is horse racing betting. This activity was among the first legal gambling activities and it remains popular to this day. Bitcoin games also deserve a mention. These games have risen in popularity in the same period when Bitcoin rose in value. These games have fantastic graphics and can provide players with a pleasant gaming experience.

When Portuguese players access online casinos, they are always relieved to see reputable game providers on the chosen site. Providers such as NetEnt, Quickspin, Play’n GO, and many more are synonymous with quality games and a fantastic game experience. Not only that, but these game providers use the latest technology on all of their games, which is why players from Portugal can enjoy all of the aforementioned popular games on any mobile and desktop device without any changes to the overall gameplay.

The most preferred casino bonus in Portugal is the welcome bonus. Many Portuguese players register at online casinos every day and once they make their initial deposit, they receive this bonus. The rewards vary from one casino site to another, but in most cases, the players receive a match deposit bonus and Free Spins, which can be used on certain slots. Free Spins are very welcome since slots are among the most popular games in this region.

Free Bets on sports betting is also a popular bonus. These bonuses work similarly to Free Spins. With it, players do not have to make a deposit to wager on certain games. They do it for free. The best part about it is that they can receive real money rewards which they can withdraw once they meet the wagering requirements of the online casino.

Since sports betting is pretty popular in Portugal, cashback bonuses on the lost betting amount are popular as well. Many operators offer this bonus on a weekly basis. Additionally, cashback bonuses are sometimes applicable to live dealer games. Since poker (the favourite casino game for Portuguese players) is often featured as a live dealer game, these cashback bonuses come in handy.

The cashback rate that players receive often depends on their VIP status. Many online casinos have loyalty/VIP programs that are designed to thank players for their continuous support. To reach higher levels, players need to play with real money. The higher their level is, the bigger the exchange rate will be.

The most preferred payment methods in Portugal are e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller. These methods provide the player with instant deposits and withdrawals. Not only that, but creating an account with e-wallets is free and only takes a second. However, it is worth mentioning that e-wallets may be subject to deposit and/or withdrawal fees. The terms and conditions of bonuses may also be different.

Credit and debit cards come in at number 2. They are used by many Portuguese players and they are accepted at pretty much every online casino. Credit and debit cards are extremely secure and they provide the players with relatively fast transactions. Deposits are instant, while withdrawals have a processing time of around 3 business days. Fees are not charged when using cards as a payment method.

In recent times, even Bitcoin has become a popular payment method. After all, deposits and withdrawals with Bitcoin are instant, this cryptocurrency is very secure, and players do not have to pay any fees. Additionally, they also gain access to unique Bitcoin games when they make deposits with the cryptocurrency.

Other payment methods that are sometimes used and deserve a mention are bank transfers, mobile pay, and prepaid cards. These methods are not as popular as the ones mentioned above, but there is a good amount of Portuguese players that prefer these over e-wallets, credit/debit cards, and Bitcoin (or any other cryptocurrency).