The Portuguese Online Betting and Gaming Association (APAJO) identified and validated 500 cases of promotion for unlicensed online gambling operators in Portugal during the 2026 World Cup, in a 39-day window between June 11 and July 19.
APAJO President Ricardo Domingues told Público, a major daily national newspaper of record published in Portugal, that the figure represents only "a small sample" of the total volume of illegal gambling promotion during the tournament, with the real number likely much higher.
Social media accounted for 90.4% of the validated cases, involving 34 influencers promoting 41 distinct unlicensed brands. Of the 500 cases identified, 312 were sponsored posts, meaning paid promotional content rather than organic mentions.
APAJO submitted its detailed report, including all validated cases, to several authorities last Friday, including Portugal's Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ), the Directorate-General for Consumers, the Judicial Police, and the Public Prosecutor's Office. The association is calling for legislative action to curb the spread of this kind of promotional content.
Recently, Portugal's SRIJ issued 1,834 closure notices concerning illegal online gambling operations during the first 11 years of the country's regulated digital market. The cumulative figure was disclosed in the regulator’s latest report and covers enforcement activity since Portugal introduced its online gambling licensing framework in 2015.
Separately, Portugal's regulated online gambling market generated approximately €328.3m ($379.5m) in gross gaming revenue during the second quarter of 2026, up 14.4% year-on-year following €287m in Q2 2025, itself up 9.6% from Q2 2024.
Portugal's regulated online gambling market generated €323.7min gross gaming revenue during the first quarter of 2026
