Portugal’s Parliament has held a debate on gambling regulation, with the Government highlighting the fight against illegal gambling as a key priority.
The opposition party Livre brought gambling back into debate, presenting an overarching package of measures targeting advertising and gambling harm. However, consensus with leading lawmakers is that legal and regulated online gambling does not necessarily mean addiction, and that illegal gambling must be stopped.
The governing PSD and its smaller coalition partner, CDS, acknowledged the need to adopt protection measures for minors and vulnerable groups,but rejected the "prohibitionism" or "moralism" of Livre.
While the Government acknowledged rising gambling participation, it attributed this to players moving from the illegal to the legal market.
Although Portuguese Economy Minister Manuel Castro Almeida said the Government would present the new online gambling legislation this summer, it has not yet done so.
From what little is known so far, and as confirmed in this recent Parliamentary debate, the measures will primarily target illegal gambling.
In separate but related news from this week, the Portuguese Association of Online Betting and Gaming (APAJO) has noted the presence of legitimate Portuguese payment methods, such as Multibanco and MBWay, on illegal gambling websites.
According to APAJO, this contributes to misinformation, as a recent study shows that one in five users of illegal websites recognise these sites as legitimate because of the payment methods they offer.
In August, APAJO submitted a package of legislative proposals to the Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ) and the Government, calling for regulated live casino gaming in Portugal, as well as a broader selection of betting products.
Portugal's APAJO identified 500 validated cases of unlicensed betting operators being promoted online during the 2026 World Cup, most through social media
