Portugal casinos are legal and run under exclusive regional concessions granted by the state, with Casino Estoril and Casino Lisboa the best known. Online casinos and sports betting are also legal, but only at sites licensed by the national regulator, SRIJ, while lotteries and mutual sports pools belong to Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa.
Portugal gambling at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Land-based casinos | Legal, under exclusive regional concessions |
| Regulator | SRIJ (Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos), part of Turismo de Portugal |
| Online casinos and betting | Legal since Decree-Law 66/2015, SRIJ licence required |
| Licensed online operators | 18 operators holding 31 licences (mid-2025) |
| Lotteries and sports pools | Monopoly of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa |
| Best-known casinos | Casino Estoril, Casino Lisboa |
| Last checked | November 2026 |
How casino licensing works in Portugal
Portugal does not hand out casino licences on demand. The country is divided into gaming zones, and each casino operates under an exclusive concession won through a public tender. Concessions can run for up to 20 years, typically 15, and the government can renew them. The regulator, SRIJ, is a department of the national tourism authority, Turismo de Portugal, which reflects how closely casinos are tied to tourism.
Land-based casino taxes vary by zone and revenue level, with the effective burden ranging from about 20% to around 50% of gross gaming revenue.
Casinos in Portugal
The Portuguese casino association counts 11 casinos, and SRIJ has said the network will grow to 14 under the latest round of concessions. The main venues and who runs them:
- Casino Estoril and Casino Lisboa (Estoril gaming zone): run by Estoril Sol, the company controlled by the Ho family, under a concession that runs to the end of 2037. Casino Lisboa is in the Parque das Nações district of Lisbon.
- Casino da Póvoa de Varzim: its concession was put out to a new public tender in 2025.
- Casino Espinho: Solverde won the new concession in 2026.
- Algarve casinos at Vilamoura, Monte Gordo and Praia da Rocha: Solverde also won the new Algarve concession in 2026.
- Casino Figueira da Foz: run by Amorim Turismo, which received a 15-year extension.
- Casino Tróia and Hotel Casino Chaves.
Of the two Estoril Sol casinos, Casino Lisboa now brings in clearly more gaming revenue than Casino Estoril.
Games at Portuguese casinos
Expect slot machines from the major slot makers alongside classic table games. Before you go, brush up on roulette, blackjack, baccarat, Caribbean Stud Poker, video poker and poker.
Online gambling in Portugal
Decree-Law 66/2015, known in Portugal as the RJO, legalised and licensed online gambling. Licences are issued per product, last three years and can be renewed. By mid-2025, 18 operators held 31 licences: 13 for fixed-odds sports betting and 18 for online casino and bingo. Online gambling revenue reached about €1.23 billion in 2025, up 12% on the year before.
Online operators pay a special gaming tax: 25% of gross gaming revenue on casino games and 8% of turnover on fixed-odds sports and horse betting.
Only SRIJ-licensed sites may legally offer gambling to players in Portugal. Holding a licence from another European country is not enough, and SRIJ can order unlicensed sites to be blocked by domain and IP address, cut off their payments and refer serious cases to prosecutors. Players can check a site’s SRIJ licence before signing up.
Advertising rules
Only licensed operators may advertise, and promoting unlicensed gambling is a crime. Gambling ads are restricted within 250 metres of schools and youth facilities, and ads must carry responsible gambling messages and point to the national self-exclusion register. A stricter advertising bill went to committee in September 2025.
Lotteries and sports pools
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, a charitable institution, holds the monopoly on lotteries and mutual sports betting. Its games include Totoloto and EuroMillions (Euromilhões), and its gross lottery sales reached about €3.14 billion in 2024. Fixed-odds sports betting online is open to licensed private operators. For how American football betting works, see our football betting guide.
Other European casino guides
Next door, see our Spain casinos guide, or compare with Italy and Ireland.
Portugal casinos FAQ
Is gambling legal in Portugal?
Yes. Casinos operate under state concessions, online casinos and betting are legal with an SRIJ licence, and Santa Casa runs the lotteries.
What is the largest casino in Portugal?
Casino Lisboa and Casino Estoril, both run by Estoril Sol, are the two biggest names, and Casino Lisboa takes in more gaming revenue than Estoril.
Can I play at foreign online casinos in Portugal?
Only SRIJ-licensed sites are legal, and the regulator blocks unlicensed ones.
Who regulates gambling in Portugal?
SRIJ, a department of Turismo de Portugal, regulates casinos and online gambling. Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa controls lotteries and sports pools.
Please gamble responsibly. If gambling stops being fun, help is available; in the US, call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET.