Online betting revenue in Portugal increased in the second quarter of 2024. However, income from land-based gaming operators dropped year-over-year.
There was a 27.1% year-on-year rise in online gross income to €261.8 million (Q2 2023: 205.9 million euros) from 17 licensed businesses, according to the Gambling Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ), the country’s gambling regulatory agency. While sports betting accounted for 39.5 percent of SRIJ’s internet income, gaming operations accounted for 60.5%.
A year-on-year gain of 29.9 percent brought gaming income to €158.5 million at the end of the quarter, from €122 million in 2023, while betting volume reached €4.37 billion, up from €3.24 billion in 2023.
Online Betting Revenue in Portugal
Slots were the top game by percentage in the second quarter (82.3%), followed by poker, blackjack, French roulette, dice, and poker. A total of €462.3 million was wagered on sporting events in 2023, up from €357.6 million the previous year, leading to a 23.1% rise in income to €103.3 million.
During that time, 69.3% of all sports bets were on football, with tennis, basketball, and other sports following closely after. With 17 authorized online operators, SRIJ reported a 16.2% year-on-year growth in total players, reaching 4.4 million. However, the growth was 3.5% compared to the prior quarter.
According to pay per head bookie experts, 287,600 new registrations were made, up 51.2% from the previous year. Compared to the second quarter of 2023, self-exclusion rose by 41.5%, reaching 256,900.
Land-Based Operations
According to the SRIJ, land operations had a 4.5% decline in revenue compared to the prior year. Revenue for the quarter came to €63.7 million, up 1.3% over the previous quarter (2023: €66.8 million). Most of the land-based gaming income during the quarter came from slot machines, accounting for 78.41% of the total. Several different casino games occupy the remaining 21.59 percent. At 36.5%, roulette topped all of these other casino games. Baccarat, dice games, blackjack, and poker trailed closely behind.
Additionally, 47,300 customers choose to self-exclude from gaming in Q2, marking an increase from Q1. After the quarter, 256,900 participants had self-excluded. In addition, the SRIJ took measures to combat illegal operators by notifying the shutdown of 38 websites that were determined to be operating in Portugal in violation of the law.
An enormous threat from illicit gaming operations persists in Portugal, even while the regulated sector thrives. According to the Portuguese Online Gambling and Betting Association, the illicit market poses an “imminent danger to user safety” and has issued a warning. A recent poll found that 41% of Portuguese gamers use unlicensed sites overall and 52.1% among those aged 18–34.
According to gambling news reports, players may seek out unregulated options due to the hefty fees imposed on licensed operators in Portugal. These charges include a 25% gross gaming income tax on online casinos and an 8% turnover tax on sports betting. A prime example of the association’s continuous fight to safeguard the regulated industry is its history of suing social media influencers who promote illicit gambling sites.
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