Operating Rules of Portuguese Online Casinos
Online casinos in Portugal have not been existent for as long as land-based casinos. The main reason for the delay in the popularity of online casinos was the lack of elaborate legislation and regulation. It was until 2015 when Portugal passed legislation on online casino gaming. The law implied that online casino operators would be allowed to operate in Portugal if only they acquired a license from the SRIJ, which is the Portuguese Gambling Regulatory Authority.
The legislation also paved the way for many international casinos, as they were now allowed to operate in Portuguese jurisdiction. The legislation also clearly stated that gambling platforms, online casinos, and sportsbooks are fully legal in Portugal. Thanks to the legislation, there has been a significant rise in the number of online casinos in Portugal. Based on our interaction with Martim Nabeiro, here is an in-depth review of the regulations surrounding online casinos in Portugal.
Online Gambling and Betting
The 2015 gambling legislation is clear that for a gaming company to operate in Portugal’s jurisdiction, they must acquire one license covering the four main online gaming branches. The fields are horse race betting, bingo casino, games of chance (Blackjack, Roulette, Slots, and Poker), and fixed-odds sports betting.
The SRIJ is the body tasked with licensing and regulating all online gambling activity in Portugal’s jurisdiction.
The body is also tasked with a thorough scrutiny of all gambling activity to ensure only licensed casinos operate in Portugal. It is thus easy to find a legitimate online casino when you check the license. Even though checking the license of every casino can be tiresome, you can ease the process of finding information about trusted online casinos on casinos online legais em portugal.
Online Gambling and Betting Legal Regime (OLR)
The 2015 legislation on online gaming gave birth to the Online Gambling and Betting Legal Regime (OLR)
There have been six amendments to the legislation which have resulted in a clear definition of the fundamental principles of the online gambling regulations, which include:
- The protection of all vulnerable parties from unregulated gambling practices that include irresponsible and addictive gambling behavior
- Enhanced security and public order through strict measures to limit money laundering and fraud by gambling platforms.
- Enhanced identification of criminal activities in the online gambling space.
- Enhanced sports integrity by discouraging result manipulation, bet rigging, and match-fixing.
- All interested online casino operators are first required to meet all the set requirements to receive a gambling license in Portugal. The maximum duration for any gambling license in Portugal is three years.
Legal Casino Games in Portugal
Games of Luck
The games are also referred to as games of chance as they do not require any form of skill or strategy to play but are fully dependent on luck. The games of luck make up for the majority of online casino games. They include slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, instant win video games, and scratch cards.
Live Dealer Casino Games
The games are the newest forms of online gaming as they feature a live human dealer who works as a normal table game dealer. The only difference being that he is not present physically but virtually. The live dealer is mostly located in a studio or gaming office, and the participants play the game virtually.
Bingo & Lottery
Bingo and lottery are among the most ancient and popular games in online casinos in Portugal. They are classified under the games of luck section as winning is not based on any skill or strategy. Lottery and Bingo winners are read out after the lottery, or the Bingo machine randomly selects the winning numbers.
Fixed-Odds Sports Betting
Fixed-odds sports betting involves betting on normal professional sports tournaments and competitions in Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Hockey, Tennis, and Football. The only fixed odds sports betting that is not allowed is the school-level betting, as it is prone to match-fixing.
Horse Racing Betting
The legislation allows for horse race betting in all online and physical locations. Fixed-odd betting in horse races is also legal in Portugal.
Online Gambling Taxation
The government planned to increase the flat tax rate from 15% to 25% and impose a betting exchange revenue of 35%. However, online casino operators are in talks with the Portugal government to reduce their tax obligations as they are significantly high.
The big question is always, which online casinos are legitimate? A casino that abides by the above rules is deemed legitimate.
