Portuguese government promises measures to tackle illegal gambling
The minister of economy has invited stakeholders to put forward proposals for legislative changes to tackle unlicensed online gambling in Portugal.
Portugal.- Minister of Economy Manuel Castro Almeida has said that the Portuguese government will present legislation “this summer” in a bid to tackle unregulated gambling. Speaking at the launch of an awareness campaign, he said the government would present a proposal to “update the rules on online gambling,” branding illegal offerings as a “plague”.
Castro Almeida provided no concrete detail on what will be proposed, but he stressed the importance of oversight, sanctions, “active prevention,” and “raising citizens’ awareness of the dangers of illegal gambling.” He also invited stakeholders to propose ideas.
“Illegal online gambling destroys many people, many families, many individuals, and it’s also terrible for the economy,” he said.
Noting that online gambling in Portugal is valued at roughly €24bn, he warned that unlicensed gambling “is growing very fast,” fuelled by “the idea of impunity”. He added: “If changing the law is necessary to make it easier to combat this problem, suggest it. The government is here for that.”
A previous opposition proposal from the environmentally focused party Livre to amend Portugal’s online gambling and betting regime was rejected in parliament by the governing Social Democratic Party (PSD) and CDS–People’s Party (CDS–PP)) coalition.
The minister was speaking at the launch of a new awareness campaign that involves collaboration among the Directorate‑General for Consumer Affairs (DGC), the Food and Economic Security Authority (ASAE) and Turismo de Portugal’s Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ). The new initiative will use a slogan that translates as “Not everything you see is safe gambling” .
The campaign will be promoted through the organisations’ digital channels, with a particular focus on young audiences. The Judicial Police is also a partner in the initiative. During the launch event, the DGC and the Judicial Police signed a cooperation protocol covering consumer rights, the digital environment and criminal investigation. The agreement includes training, knowledge exchange, communication initiatives, event organisation and sharing of resources.
Jorge Seguro Sanches, Director‑General for Consumer Affairs, said the campaign aims to give consumers more information about the risks of illegal online gambling. Carlos Cabreiro, National Director of the Judicial Police, highlighted the dangers of fraudulent schemes linked to illegal gambling, including identity theft, financial fraud and the spread of spyware and ransomware.
In April, the SRIJ launched a new platform for self-exclusion from online gambling in Portugal. The regulator said that all self-exclusions carried out through this platform are applicable to all online gaming operators licensed in Portugal. The new platform is intended to provide a simpler and more intuitive interface, allowing self-exclusion requests to be made quickly and efficiently.
