Top-rated Online gambling sites 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 nowadays in Portugal

Gambling in Portugal these days remains a popular activity. Operating under the regulation of the Portuguese Gambling Regulatory Authority (SRIJ), these digital gambling platforms offer a diverse array of casino games to Portuguese players.

However, it is worth noting that 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.

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.

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 favorite 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.

When a tourist or local resident goes along to a casino - or logs in to an online casino - they will want to know that they are able to communicate in their own language. The good news is that Portuguese casinos normally have staff that is able to communicate in several languages, so finding someone to help will be easy for those who do not speak any Portuguese.

One of the main languages in use is English. Most online sites will have English as their main language on the site but there is always the option to automatically translate a website so getting help in another language is easy. In-person at a standard brick-and-mortar casino, it is worth checking on the way in to find out if there is a staff member available who can assist.

Staff members might also be able to communicate in other languages such as French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Polish. It is a huge advantage to a casino to have multi-lingual staff, particularly those who are working as dealers, as it will help to make all the players feel included in the game. For online players, there are some web-based casinos that use Portuguese as the language of their interface.