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Choose only licensed and legal online casinos in Portugal, play at safe websites and win safe money. Read our to reviews to learn more about each online casino that accepts players from Portugal.
Casinos in Portugal
According to SRIJ, there are 12 casinos and 1 slot machine hall in operation. Casino Chaves (Hotel Casino Chaves), Casino Espinho, Casino Estoril, Casino Figueira da Foz (Casino Figueira), Casino Funchal (Casino da Madeira), Casino Lisbon (Casino Lisboa), Casino Monte Gordo (Casino de Monte Gordo), Casino Portimao (Hotel Algarve Casino), Casino Povoa de Varzim (Casino da Povoa), Casino Quarteira (Casino de Vilamoura), Casino Troia (Troia Hotel) and Casino São Miguel (Casino Azores) in Ponta Delgada. Most of them are run by two groups, Estoril Sol and Solverde.
Casino Games in Portugal
Slot machines are in ever greater demand in Portugal. Online, games may only be offered after certification of the operator's gaming system by SRIJ, so players find the catalogues of the major international studios: IGT, Greentube, Playtech, Pragmatic Play and NetEnt. These are some of the slots that are most favoured by the players: Cleopatra, Book of Ra Deluxe, 5 Lions Megaways, Thunderstruck II and Premium European Roulette. Cleopatra is a five-reel slot by IGT with 20 paylines and free spins in which all wins are tripled. Book of Ra Deluxe is a five-reel slot by Greentube with 10 paylines and free spins with an expanding symbol. 5 Lions Megaways is a slot by Pragmatic Play with up to 117,649 ways to win and a choice of free spin modes. Thunderstruck II is a slot by Microgaming. The slot comes with 5 reels and provides 243 ways to win. The slot features four levels of free spins with various opportunities available. Premium European Roulette by Playtech is one of the most popular digital table games.
Gambling Legislation
According to the legislation, only the state can be involved in gambling business in Portugal. The state, however, can transfer this right to private operators in the form of a concession. The law has provided 10 gaming zones in Portugal: Azores, Algarve, Espinho, Estoril, Figueira da Foz, Funchal, Porto Santo, Póvoa de Varzim, Troia and Vidago-Pedras Salgadas. All of them except Porto Santo have casinos with acting concessions. Bingo halls can only be located on the casino premises. Most of the revenue comes from the Estoril zone, which includes Casino Estoril and Casino Lisboa. Other major gaming zones are Póvoa de Varzim, Espinho and the Algarve. People under 18 years of age have no right to play or enter the casinos. State employees are not allowed to play either: politicians, judges, police officers etc. There are also limitations imposed on the amounts that can be spent on bets. Each type of gambling is regulated by a separate statute:
- National lottery - Decree-Law No. 200/2009
- Scratch cards - Decree-Law No. 314/94
- Football match pools (Totogolo) - Decree-Law No. 225/98
- Bingo - Decree-Law No. 31/2011 and Ordinance No. 128/2011
- Gaming machines and slot machines - Decree-Law No. 310/2002
- Fixed sports bets - Decree-Law No. 67/2015
Casino games are regulated by four different acts that outline how to run a casino and work with the personnel, among other important issues:
- Gambling Law (Decree-Law No. 422/89) dated December 2, 1989 with the amendments of Decree-Law No. 114/2011 (main law)
- Ordinance No. 1159/90 (work with the personnel)
- Ordinance No. 217/2007 (rules of the games)
- Law No. 8/2006 (how to hire a croupier)
Online games are regulated by Decree-Law No. 66/2015 of April 29, 2015 (the Legal Regime of Online Gambling and Betting, RJO). This is the category that includes all gambling that is provided remotely through various media.
Regulators
There are three organizations that regulate gaming business in Portugal: Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos do Turismo de Portugal (SRIJ), Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML) and The Gambling Commission (Comissão de Jogos). Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (SRIJ) is part of the Turismo de Portugal institute under the Minister of Economy; it oversees, inspects and regulates land-based facilities and online platforms. This organisation also determines how to play responsibly, helps gambling addicts and conducts various market research. The service provides technical support for the police if a warning has to be made or sanctions applied against illegal operators. Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML) is responsible for monitoring and inspecting national lotteries, horse racing and fixed bets that were placed in land-based establishments. Comissão de Jogos coordinates and oversees Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos. This is the organization that issues licenses and regulatory enactments, monitors contracts with operators and solves administrative problems. Its functions also include inspecting technical equipment for gaming facilities.
Gambling Licenses
To qualify for a license in Portugal, the operator must participate in a public tender. The public tender is announced by the state and takes place within a limited timeframe. The operator can obtain several licenses, yet at the same time each license will cover a separate territory. The operator must have a registered office in a country that is a member of the European Union or that is located within the European economic zone. The operator must also cooperate with the administration on the issues of taxation, while preventing any fraud or money laundering. Foreign companies must have their representative in Portugal. A license for land-based concessions will remain valid for a fixed term: 10 years for casinos and 20 years for bingo halls under the older contracts, while the new casino concessions for the Algarve, Espinho and Póvoa de Varzim zones, put out to international tender in July 2025, are for 15 years. The permit may be extended if the government approve the operators application for an extension. The concessions of these three zones, which were due to end in 2023, were extended to the end of 2025 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Decree-Law No. 139-D/2025 allowed a further extension of up to 120 days from January 1, 2026 until the new concessions start. The cost of the license is individual in each case and the decision is made based on the results of the public tender. Usually operators pay the so-called indemnity to the authorities. The amount is based on the size of the gross revenue. In addition, the companies may invest in some events, operations or construction in the municipality that hosts gaming facilities.
Licensed varieties of gambling
These are the games that are licensed in the gaming zones: American and French roulette, dice, Card games: baccarat, 21, punto banco, macao, chemin de fer and five types of poker, bingo and slot machines. Other games are regulated by the Tourism Secretary of State. The rules are set by Comissão de Jogos. Most of the revenue comes from slot machines, which bring in the large majority of the gross revenue of all casinos. Next follow the table games: roulette, French dice (banca francesa) and baccarat/punto banco.
Online gambling
In Portugal there are four types of licenses issued to online operators: For fixed sports bets, for horse racing, bingo and for casino games (baccarat, dice, blackjack, slot machines, poker, etc.). The application procedure is the same as it is for land-based operators. The permit is issued by Comissão de Jogos, is valid for three years and can be extended for equal periods; there is no limit on the number of licences. This is how payments for licenses for online operators are broken down (amounts updated on March 1, 2026): the initial certification of the gaming system costs 21,721.65 EUR plus 2,413.52 EUR for each type of bets and casino games, the fee for issuing a new license - 2,413.52 EUR for each type of gambling and the fee for running the games that were not included in the initial license - 2,413.52 EUR for each type. Extension or expansion of the license must also be paid for. The size of the payment will depend on the type of the game. The fee for fixed sports bets and horse racing is 14,481.10 EUR, for bingo - 2,413.52 EUR, for casino games - 14,481.10 EUR plus 2,413.52 EUR more for each new type of gambling. The operators must also pay out the warranties while obtaining the license: 500,000 EUR to guarantee their legal obligations (including player balances and fines) and 100,000 EUR to guarantee the payment of the special online gambling tax.
Taxation
Land-based casinos pay a special gaming tax that depends on the location of the gaming establishment. The tax is levied on the gross revenue and varies between 4.5% and 40%. Bingo halls pay tax on printing the cards in the amount of 25%. Online operators pay the special online gambling tax (IEJO): 25% of gross revenue for casino games and for mutual horse racing bets, and 8% of the amount of bets placed for fixed-odds sports bets. No Portuguese developers of slots or casino software products are known. Yet the gambling market has been undergoing a successful development, which has brought a substantial profit into the national treasury. The concept of game zones has worked well for players, casinos and the government.
