Gambling business in Portugal
The gambling business is legalized in Portugal. Anyone over the age of 18 can play in both land and online casinos. The total annual revenue from the country's casinos is 288 million euros. There are 11 casinos in the country. Unlike neighboring Spain, slot machines bring in the most revenue. Slots account for 81% of industry revenue.
Types of games are regulated by separate legislation passed in the 1990s and 2000s. Three organizations are involved in the gambling business: the Portuguese Tourism Service and Inspection Service (SRIJ), the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML), and the Gambling Commission (Comissão de Jogos). Each organization performs its functions in supervising and controlling the gambling business.
Portuguese gambling legislation
By law, only the state can run a gambling business in Portugal. However, it can also transfer this right to private operators in the form of concessions. There are 10 play areas in Portugal:
Most of the revenue of the gambling business comes from the institutions located in the territory of Estoril - 49.5%. Other large play zones are Póvoa de Varzim and Espinho. Each of them accounts for 15% of the revenue from the games.
People under the age of 18 are not allowed to play or enter the casino. In addition, government officials are banned from playing: politicians, judges, police officers, etc. There are also restrictions on the amount spent on bets.
Each type of gambling in the country is regulated by separate regulations:
Gaming regulators
There are three gambling regulators in Portugal:
The Gaming and Inspection Service (SRIJ) monitors, inspects and regulates land-based casinos and online gambling. It also conducts various market research. The service provides technical assistance to the police if it requests a warning or the imposition of sanctions on illegal operators.
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML) is responsible for overseeing and inspecting national lotteries, races and fixed stakes at land-based facilities.
The Yogos Commissioner coordinates and oversees the Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos. This organization issues licenses and regulations, controls contracts with operators, and solves administrative problems. It also includes inspection of playground equipment.
Terms of obtaining a license in gambling jurisdiction
To obtain a license in Portugal, an operator must participate in a public tender. The public tender is announced by the state and is held within a limited time frame.
The operator must have a registered office in an EU Member State or in an EU Economic Area. He should also co-operate with the administration on tax issues, stop fraud and money laundering.
The land concession license is valid for 10 years for casinos and for 20 years for bingo halls. The permit can be renewed by the decision of the government, if requested by the operator.
The cost of the license is individual in each case and is decided on a tender basis.
Gaming licensed species
The following games are licensed in the play areas:
Other games are regulated by the Secretary of State for Tourism. Most of the revenue of the gaming business comes from gaming machines. Their share is 81% of the total revenue of all casinos. It is followed by roulette (6.4%), French carp (3.3%), Baccarat / Punto Banco (3.3%).
Online gambling in Portugal
There are four types of licenses for online operators in Portugal:
The rules for obtaining a license are the same in this case as for land operators. The permit is valid for three years and can be renewed. License fees for online operators are distributed as follows:
The fee for games included in the original license is 2,000 euros for each type.
It is possible to renew or extend the license. The fee depends on the type of game. The fee for fixed sports betting and horse racing is € 12,000. For bingo - 2,000 euros. For casino games - € 12,000 plus € 2,000 for each new type of toy. Also, operators must pay the guarantees upon receipt of the license. Guarantee of fulfillment of obligations for the online operator is 100,000 Euros.
Gambling taxes in Portugal
Land casinos pay a special gambling fee, depending on the location of the gambling hall. It is taxed on total revenue and ranges from 4.5% to 40%. Bingo halls pay a card printing fee of 25%.
Online casino and horse racing betting operators pay 15-30% of the bets placed by players.
Popular slot machines in the country
Slots is the most popular gaming game in Portugal. Customer favorite slots include:
Conclusion
The Portuguese creators of slot machines and casino software are not known. But the gambling market itself is developing successfully, which brings significant profits to the state treasury