Portugal Gambling
The casino industry in Portugal has exploded in recent years. There are currently 10 casinos in Portugal with over 5,000 slots and 200 gaming tables. Most casinos are operated by two major casino groups, Estoril-Sol Group and Solverde Group. Portugal does offer land based casino gambling, although there are only 9 in total, and many feel that the government not issuing more casino licenses has stifled competition. Some of these casinos are fairly large though and the casino scene in Portugal is fairly vibrant in spite of the limited selection. Gambling in Portugal is split into 3 different legal categories: raffles, casino and lotteries & sports betting. While raffles have limited financial implications for the state – the rest are all run via a monopoly under license from the government. However, the Portuguese legal framework does not provide for the possibility of B2B operators being granted a licence to operate an online gambling platform in Portugal. Typically, B2C operators subcontract online providers of gambling services, but the licence itself is granted to the B2C operator.
GamblingCompliance Regulatory Briefing: Portugal’s New Online Gambling Law
With the participation of thePortuguese Gambling Regulator – SRIJ (speaker TBC)
An in-depth look at the country’s new gambling regulation and what it means for the industry
14th October 2015, Hotel Myriad, Lisbon, Portugal
The final requirements needed to start the online licensing procedure in Portugal were published in June 2015 by the state regulator, Turismo de Portugal. This new legislation requires all online operators and testing labs to obtain licences in 4 different fields:
- fixed odds sports betting
- horse race betting
- bingo
- games of chance, including casino games and poker.
However, the newly established Portuguese Gambling Inspection Service hopes to issue the first online licences by the end of the year, creating a gap of six months where operators cannot hold a permit, but could be considered illegal. This leaves overseas companies with something of a dilemma – switch off operations for around six months or potentially risk being denied a licence.
Portugal Gambling
This GamblingCompliance Regulatory Briefing will:
- Look at the implications of this new legislation for the Portuguese gambling industry.
- Draw on the lessons learned from other jurisdictions where similar legislation was introduced.
- Provide operators with an opportunity to engage with the regulator, and also key experts in the Portuguese gambling industry.
- Delve into the regulation from a tax, advertising and licensing perspective to ensure that every implication is covered.
Taking place at The Crystal Centre in the Myriad Hotel in central Lisbon on the banks of the Tagus River this one-day conference will give all attendees a broad overview of the current regulation in Portugal as well as networking opportunities during the coffee breaks, lunch and drinks reception.
Who should attend?
- C-Suite executives operating in (or considering operating in) the Portuguese gambling market
- In-House Counsels
- Heads of Compliance
- Heads of Risk
- Legal Professionals
- Regulators
Pricing:
- Early Bird - £295 (until September 30th)
- Standard Rate - £395 (until October 9th)
- On-site Rate - £495 (after October 9th)
It isn’t unusual for a country that allows gambling on its territory to be a significant tourist destination. For Portugal in particular, this comes as a considerable source of income. In fact, last year’s GDP of Portugal was around $210 billion, and the revenue from online gambling was $122 million – which makes up for 0.05%. This is just a small part of what is about to come in the upcoming years.
The Laws Behind the Gambling Industry – Which Games are Regulated
Online gambling is a fresh phenomenon in Portugal, and it is due to the fact that the government had recently changed it’s gambling laws, which now include online betting. This means that online casinos and sportsbooks are completely legal, licensed, and regulated by the nation’s Regulatory and Inspection Services of Games and Tourism of Portugal or RISGTP administration for short.
While it is somewhat strange that a governing body that answers for tourism in the country would also be responsible for regulating any type of gambling activity, it’s not very surprising. In the regulatory code, it states that “the practice of games of chance may be held only in casinos located in specific law-determined gaming zones”. So far, 10 areas have been approved, every single one of which sees its fair share of tourists.
The Taxes are Merciless
Portugal Gambling Casinos
Something that makes a big impression in the online casino and sportsbook sectors is the amount of tax those businesses pay in Portugal. The online gambling tax is 44%, and yes, it is considered to be quite high. Because of that, many economists projected that the online business in the country would decline, but what happened was quite the opposite. Today, there are many new companies lining up to apply for an online gaming license.
Online Gambling Laws are Recent in the Country
In order to be able to start issuing licenses, a government needs to cover a particular set of requirements. Portugal fulfilled its own in 2015. After the legislation was passed, it required testing labs and online operators to obtain licenses in 4 different fields – horse race betting, fixed odds sports betting, bingo, and games of chance, such as poker, roulette, slots, and other casino games. Today, there are many land-based and online gambling venues that provide people with the actions they’re looking for.
Tourism is a Unity of Sports Gambling and Cultural Events
Last year, it was reported that the revenue from tourism in Portugal was around $23 billion – which makes up for almost 11% of the national GDP. This includes entertainment events such as sports games, concerts, and even cultural events. A lot of tourist regions include fascinating beaches and coastlines, castles, shrines, city squares and parks. In truth, Portugal holds around 14 awards as a more preferred tourist destination in more than 10 categories.
Portugal Gambling Tax
Improvement of Social Welfare Programs
It is an all-known-fact that the state of public administrations and social welfare programs in Portugal were in a very poor state even since the beginning of the 90’s. The country is also renowned for having an outstandingly slow and inefficient administrative structure, which results in slow, over-blown bureaucratic proceedings. As the European Union announced its decision to help Portugal out of the financial crisis, measures were taken to improve the government’s overall public system.
Some Challenges Remain to Be Tackled
As Portugal is making its slow recovery from a dynamic decade of financial woes, there are many other issues that await to be resolved. While this is happening, the country continues its steady rise by providing superior tourist destinations and services to its visitors and re-developing its national industries. Despite the difficulties, you can expect many great things to happen for Portugal in the future!