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Portugal’s Minister of Economy, Manuel Castro Almeida, announced at the launch of a new awareness campaign that the government will present legislation “this summer” to tackle unregulated gambling. He described illegal offerings as a “plague” and said the proposal would update the country’s online gambling rules.
According to Castro Almeida, the plan will focus on oversight, sanctions, “active prevention,” and raising awareness among citizens about the dangers of illegal gambling.
He invited stakeholders to contribute ideas, stressing that the government is open to changes if they help fight the problem. “Illegal online gambling destroys many people, many families, many individuals, and it’s also terrible for the economy,” he said.
The minister noted that Portugal’s online gambling market is valued at about €24 billion, warning that unlicensed activity “is growing very fast,” driven 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 attempt by the opposition party Livre to amend the regime was rejected in parliament, but the government now intends to move forward with its own proposal.
Portugal launches self-exclusion system
The update comes amidst major gambling reform in Portugal. Earlier in January, the country’s gaming regulator moved to expand the country’s gambling framework by approving new features such as bet boosts, bonus buys, and bet builder options.
The amendments to the Gambling Act were designed to modernize the market and bring it closer to practices already common across the EU. Around the same time, authorities also blocked access to Polymarket following the national election, signaling a tougher stance on unlicensed platforms.
That path of reform continued into April, when the Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ) launched a full online self‑exclusion system on April 8, 2026. The new portal replaced the fragmented, site‑by‑site process that had previously allowed players to bypass bans by opening accounts with rival operators.
Now, all licensed platforms in Portugal are tied to a single database, meaning once a user registers for exclusion, their access is automatically cut off across the entire regulated network.
Source: Focus Gaming News
