for early access to the latest igaming videos!
and get the latest igaming news first!
What happens when games of fortune outpace sports betting whilst illegal operators face unprecedented enforcement crackdowns?
The Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ) has released its Q2 2025 report showing Portugal generated gross revenues of €287 million ($316 million), marking a 9.6% increase compared to the same quarter of 2024.
Seventeen licensed operators held thirty active licences during the period, whilst the Special Online Gaming Tax contributed €81.2 million to state revenue.
Games of fortune drive growth whilst sports betting stagnates
The numbers reveal a tale of two markets moving in opposite directions.
Games of fortune accounted for 62% of total gross revenue, producing €177.8 million with a 12.2% year-on-year increase. Sports betting represented the remaining 38%, generating €109.2 million, up 5.7% from Q2 2024 but down 5% from the previous quarter.
Betting volumes showed divergent trends, with sports betting volume standing at €457.3 million, down 1.1% year-on-year and 8.9% quarter-on-quarter.
Slot machines dominate Portuguese player preferences
The data shows where Portuguese gamblers are really putting their money.
Within games of fortune, slot machines represented 79.1% of wagers, French banking games 7%, and French roulette 5.3%. Football continued to be the leading sport in betting activity, with 67.7% of wagers, followed by tennis at 21.8% and basketball at 6.5%.
Games of fortune reached €5.04 billion in betting volume, reflecting a 15.4% annual increase and 8% quarterly growth.
Player registration soars despite declining active users
Portugal’s gambling market shows the classic engagement paradox.
Player registrations totalled 4.87 million by the end of the quarter, up 9.9% compared to the previous year, with 211,000 new accounts created. However, only 1.12 million were active players, representing a 2.6% decline year-on-year.
By age, 77.8% of registered players were under 45, with the 25-34 group forming the largest segment at 33.5%. Portuguese nationals accounted for 94.6% of total players, while Brazilians made up 49% of international registrations.
Lisbon and Porto dominate regional player activity
Geographic concentration reveals where Portugal’s gambling appetite is strongest.
Lisbon and Porto districts concentrated the highest share of registrations, with 21.7% and 21.1% respectively. The concentration in these urban centres reflects the Portugal iGaming market’s mature infrastructure and digital adoption rates in major metropolitan areas.
SRIJ ramps up enforcement against illegal operators
Self-exclusion registrations climbed 27% as authorities blocked 110 more illegal sites.
Self-exclusion registrations reached 326,400, increasing 27% from Q2 2024, suggesting growing awareness of responsible gambling tools. Enforcement actions during the quarter included 97 closure notifications to illegal operators and the blocking of 110 unauthorised websites.
Since implementing Portugal’s gambling regulation in 2015, authorities have issued 1,522 notifications to illegal operators and blocked 2,501 unauthorised websites, with 49 cases referred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Source: Gambling Insider
