Online gambling laws in Portugal are undergoing a fair amount of change right now but on this page I’ll provide a brief overview of the recent history and explain what we’re expecting to see going forward. There are both positive and negative aspects to recent changes that will ultimate determine if Portugal becomes a major player in the global gaming market.

TOP 25+ Legal Online Casinos 2020 ️ Bonuses Up to $12250 100% Safe Online Casino Gambling ⚡ Deposit & Play Everywhere! Online sports betting, lotteries, casino gaming and slots are all also legal in Portugal, but only through government-approved websites. There are over 5,000 official websites and kiosks where Portuguese.

Most forms of gambling are legal in Portugal. The country has 11 land-based casinos and a few options for government-sanctioned internet betting. Until recently, the market was closed to foreign operators in favor of a government-supported monopoly.

Gaming legislation enacted in 2015 opened the market to international betting brands, but high taxes and excessive regulation have so far put a damper on any excitement we once held that Portugal would finally embrace the reality of online gambling. To date, a total of five gaming companies have received online betting licenses in Portugal.

License or no license, plenty of gaming sites are still happy to accept residents of Portugal. Most of the big brands have Portuguese-language versions of their websites and they all accept Euro deposits. Some of the popular deposit methods for the country include Multibanco, PayPal, Ukash, credit card, Neteller and electronic bank transfer.

Best Portugal Betting Sites

Portugal finally got around to issuing its first gambling license to Betclic.pt in early 2016. More licenses eventually followed, but Betclic was the first site authorized by the government to accept real money wagers from Portuguese citizens. Other companies/sites that received licenses include CasinoPortugal.pt, the Betclic Everest Group and Bet Entertainment Technologies (BET).

Previously, unlicensed operators had free reign to advertise their wares in Portugal. The Portuguese government now prohibits such advertising and even orders internet service providers to censor the internet to block access to these sites. Of course, savvy internet users are easily able to get around the blocks.

The Portuguese market has proven promising with significant revenues generated by the industry despite its young age and limited number of operators. However, high tax rates have severely limited the market, dissuaded operators from acquiring licenses and hurt competition.

The tax rates in Portugal are set at nearly unmanageable levels:

• 15 to 30% on gross gaming revenue for casino games, poker and bingo
• 8 to 16% on total betting turnover for sports betting

If this tax scheme applied to net profits, it would be one thing. That is not the case in Portugal. These rates are based on total gaming activity before operating expenses or net profits are even considered. It’s so bad that a handful of international gaming brands declared immediately that they had zero interest in applying for a gaming license in Portugal.

Year-end reports from 2016 showed that online gambling generated €82 million in gross revenue for the year, but nearly half that (€40 million) went straight to taxes. Local gambling groups have petitioned the government to lower the tax rate so the market can see its true potential and attract additional licensees. More competition among Portuguese bookmakers will be a good thing for players as well.

However, the industry has grown despite these issues. By September of 2017, Portugal had already issued a total of eleven online gambling licenses. Seven of those have been granted to online casinos and four have been granted to sports betting sites.

Portugal Gambling Laws

Citizens of Portugal have access to most forms of gambling but the government strictly regulates who may offer what. There are exactly 11 land-based casinos in the country that offer all the staple games you would expect to find in a casino. Blackjack, roulette, slot machines, poker and all the rest are common sights inside any Portuguese casino.

Things look good from a distance, but the government maintains a tight grip over the industry. Each casino in the country had to be specially approved while all other forms of gaming are subject to a state-owned monopoly provider that we all know as the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML). The SCML is both a regulatory body and a government-controlled monopoly provider of the lottery and sports betting. It also offers a limited form of online betting through its website located here.

SCML takes a unique approach to sports betting. Rather than offering the odds like a traditional bookmaker, SCML operates in the parimutuel fashion in which the payouts are determined by the betting action of all the people betting on an event. SCML does not create the odds; it facilitates wagers between the people.

All casino games and poker are illegal outside of casinos in Portugal. You’ll have to visit a land-based casino to get that kind of action. The SCML on the other hand has thousands of ticket sellers spread across the country. Any time you’re in Portugal, you’re never far from an SCML lottery or sports ticket.

The Portuguese system worked well in the past, but the internet has changed everything. For years, Portugal has tried to fight the internet and protect its monopoly. The country instituted web-censorship programs to block access to sites and has refused to grant any gaming company the right to offer its services over the internet.

If the government had its way, gambling in Portugal would be done only at land-based casinos and with the SCML monopoly. Unfortunately for the government, prohibitions are notoriously difficult to enforce. Pressure from the EU has also prompted lawmakers to reconsider their stance on allowing Portugal gambling sites to operate.

Finally in June of 2014, the Portuguese government announced legislation that would allow for the licensing of foreign operators seeking access to the market. The regulations include licensing conditions, an explanation of taxes and other rules for the market. This will finally give big-name betting sites such the opportunity to obtain a license and possibly even advertise in Portuguese media.

The laws took effect in 2015 and many in the industry were disappointed to see high taxes and excessive regulation. Sports betting will be particularly hard-hit with rates while the government-controlled monopoly will pay as little as half as much in taxes.

The disparity between what online betting sites will pay and what the government-controlled monopoly will pay will likely draw the ire of foreign operators and the EU. The EU has already ruled numerous times against other nations that have tried to sneak in protectionist measures to benefit their state-held monopolies. But for now, we’ll have to wait and see how this all plays out.

In any case, foreign operators are already accepting Portuguese residents. There’s the problem of web censorship, but that is easily bypassed with the help of cheap VPN services that can be found all over the internet. If the new laws don’t work out, you’ll still have plenty of options for betting online – they just won’t have the official government stamp of approval.

Portuguese regulatory body Serviço Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos do Turismo de Portugal (SRIJ) issued its first online betting license to the Betclic Everest Group on 25 May, 2016. Betclic.pt is only authorized to offer real money sports bets for now, but regulators say they have plans to issue more licenses and authorize additional gaming verticals in the near future.

Calvin Ayre also reported that Betclic has expressed interest in obtaining an online casino license to go along with its sports betting business in Portugal. There are still issues of punitive tax rates to work through, but at least the Portuguese market appears to be taking a turn towards regulation and open competition after so many years of government-enforced SCML dominance.

Online Poker in Portugal

The online poker industry has been slow to develop in Portugal compared to casino gaming and sports betting. PokerStars became the first site to be licensed to offer real money poker online in Portugal in November of 2016. With no legal competition, PokerStars.pt grew quickly and remains the top (only) licensed poker site in Portugal.

SRIJ has been slow in approving of online poker operators, but the regulator is likely issue additional licenses in the future. PokerStars has always been very good about compliance and will probably set a positive example of online poker done right, and this should make SRIJ comfortable with issuing additional licenses.

Additionally, Portugal recently signed a poker liquidity agreement with France, Spain and Italy. This agreement will allow poker sites in each country to share player pools with one another, which will create a healthier ecosystem (more players, bigger tournaments) and in turn attract interest from additional operators.

If you are reading this, you are probably interested in finding decent, and most importantly, legal online casinos in the US. With the plethora of gambling services available online, you might be wondering whether they are legal or not. In this article, we are going to answer some of the most popular questions players have and hopefully shake off some doubts you might have regarding online gambling. If you are a US-based player, you might be asking are online casinos legal and whether there is a way for you to play your favourite games without going to Vegas. Though there are some bullet-proof ways to play online casinos in any state legally, there are several things you must consider before you start playing.

Best Legal Online Casino List 2020

Contents

Why Choose Only Licensed Online Casino?

Well, choosing a licensed and legal online casino is good for you because that is how you make sure your money and your private data are secure. Do yourself a favour and check whether the one you pick has a proper license. Usually, they place the information about their licensing somewhere around the main page, so spend a couple of extra minutes looking for it and checking it out, that will spare you lots of troubles.

Remember, when you play for real, you risk your money, which is kinda normal for any casino, but playing with licensed dealers means that your money is safe and protected from any shady scheme. In licensed online casinos, you have full control over your money. You can deposit and withdraw your money any time you want, and what is more important, you can be sure nobody is going to steal the money you deposited and disappear. When you deposit your money to an online account, you basically trust it to them, and it is much safer to trust your money to the legally licensed company that guarantees the security of your money and your data.

Apart from being safer, online casinos with license give their players much more of good quality content. Before you even start looking up the license, you can tell trustworthy online casinos from scam just by looking at what games they offer and how their website looks. When an online casino looks good, you can actually tell that the owners do care about their players just by how they managed their website to looks like. A cheap-looking website is a sign of careless and unprofessional attitude, and most importantly, it can point at some shady stuff going on in that casino.

Shoot for licensed and reputable online casinos as they are more likely to be true with their players. Most importantly, a well-designed website usually means that a particular service is doing quite well, which means they won’t be greedy, and the win rates would be much higher. So, look for legally approved online casinos that provide the players with decent win rates, top-end quality content, and payout guarantees that are usually secured by the license. Really, save your money, time, and nerves by double-checking on that license.

Where to Find Legal Online Casinos?

Luckily, there are lots of legally approved gambling websites you can find. Here on this website, you can look for a list of selected services we consider reputable and probably choose a gambling destination for yourself. If you look for the US legal online casino, there are tons of so-called offshore casinos that are registered in other countries where online gambling laws are not as tight and where you can play gambling online, freely.

The best thing about these offshore services is that they are totally accessible for the US-based players and are not bound to the US law. So, these are completely legal casinos you can play in the US without any risks. If you wanted to find out whether the online casino in the USA is legal, then the answer is: not everywhere. There are legal online casinos in the USA, but if you are keen to play, there are lots of offshore gambling houses that host players from the US, and the best part of it is that it is completely legal for the US-based players to play there.

You don’t really have to bother about where are casinos legal, there are lots of places in the world where people are free to spend their money the way they want. So online casinos we are talking about are based in different countries, so each gambling destination we offer is a totally legal casino you can enter right away from any device in any place you want.

While there are states where online casinos are legal in the USA, mostly, you just cannot simply enter their websites, so if you happen to live in the states where online gambling is banned, you can easily enter a foreign offshore online casino.

Legal Offshore Online Casino Sites

So, here are some of the best offshore casinos we know in case you live in the places where online gambling is prohibited. And again, do not worry, it is illegal to run the online casino, but nobody said it was illegal to play. You can pick a legitimate casino from the following list of suggestions and play them in whichever state you live in.

1. Slots Empire

This one is a top-rated and one of the very best legal online slots casinos you’ll ever find. Slots Empire is a reputable company that has been around for years and has gained a powerful fan base as well as worldwide recognition among the players. When it comes to online slots, there is no place better than Slots Empire, as you can tell from its very name.

2. Red Dog

Another great gambling destination for the American players that offers a great choice of games, including all-time favorite slots and table games. There are all the great games you know and love starting with slot machines and ending with poker. This website is the ultimate indulgence for the players from all around the world since it allows them to play legally regardless of where they live.

3. Bovada

This is an online casino based in Canada and favoured by thousands of players worldwide. It offers a wide range of games for the players to choose from, but most of all, it specializes in slots. This is where Bovada really shines as their slots are some of the best ones that can be found online. Of course, it is a licensed casino that allows for fair and safe cash deposits and withdrawals. This one is surely worth a try.

4. Sloto Cash

A slot-focused online casino that is fully licensed and approved by many players online. This is also a reputable and very popular gambling service provider that has proven itself to be an honest and lucrative casino. If you are looking to make real money playing slots, this one might be the service you must shoot for.

5. Miami Club Casino

One of the most stylish casinos out there, Miami Club is all about big wins and atmosphere. If you want to feel like you are in an actual casino, this one is for you. License and all the legal information are available as well, so go for it.

6. Red Stag

Though it is not the highest-ranking casino on our list, Red Stag is arguably one of the best ones out there. It gives players everything they need starting with classic slots and ending with all-time favourite table games. More so, Red Stag has some of the highest bonuses and win rates which attract all the players.

7. Cafe Casino

A cosy and relaxing casino to play. This is the perfect choice for the players who want to play in a calm and comfortable environment that lets you enjoy the process and make money at the same time. Grab yourself a cup of some fine tea and relax while you play.

8. Ignition Casino

To say this casino is lit would be an understatement. These guys do know how to get their players excited. Stunning bonuses, wild slots, and all the table games imaginable. Ignition Casino is a hot spot for those who like adrenaline and risk.

9. Silver Oak

This, of course, is a licensed online casino that cares about its players. You can check their license on the website and find all the legal information you might need there too. These guys are open and honest with their players, which is a trait of a really professional and reputable gambling house. You can check them out and give it a try, it’s really fast and easy to start, so go ahead.

10. Slots of Vegas

Nothing compares to Vegas when it comes to gambling, and Slots of Vegas do a great job mimicking this atmosphere and giving you the best United States online slots. This place is quintessential for the players who want to feel the atmosphere of Las Vegas and enjoy some big wins.
As you can see, while there surely is a problem with legal online casinos in the USA, it is still possible to access some great gambling websites without any problems. The list we give, of course, mentions some of the best online casinos you can find, but there are many more of them on the Internet. There are places where the online casino is legal in the USA, but not all of us are so lucky as to live in such places. You can check them all out for yourself but remember to stick with reputable and licensed services because this is the only way to avoid getting scammed. If there is no license, leave the website and don’t even think about depositing money or giving them any of your private information, just leave.

Which Games Can You Play on Legal Casino Sites?

Literally, any classic game can be found online. There are not only slots, but any wagering you can think of is also fully accessible online, including roulette, blackjack, poker, and all the other games. Some of the casinos listed above host online roulette USA style as well as card games that can satisfy the most seasoned players out there. You also search for the best video poker sites where players from all around the world can find themselves sitting by the same table and competing for a solid win. It is completely safe to play on the websites listed above, each online casino is legal, and you can be sure your money and private data are safe and sound when you enter those casinos. There, you can choose from a wide variety of games, whether online blackjack is legal or whether there are any risks.

Are There Legitimate USA Online Casinos?

You might be having a hard time looking for a legitimate US-based online casino. Experienced players know that it is best to play offshore because that way nobody would be able to track your gambling activities. It is best to shoot for the casinos that are based abroad, that way you make sure that nobody is going to use your data or know where you deposit or withdraw your money from. It is a risk-free and completely reasonable thing to do considering a complete lack of legitimate US-based casinos.

Casino Online Legal Portugal Folheto

There are Canadian casinos like Bovada, you can see it on our list, which gives US-based players the chance to play absolutely risk-free and make money gambling. This is the evident advantage of playing offshore – you play, you win, you withdraw money to your credit card, and nobody is going to ask questions. All of that is possible because of offshore casinos only.

What is Gambling License and How Casino Sites Are Regulated

Gambling is a multi-billion industry, and it surely does need regulation. Online casinos need to get a license to be legally allowed to maintain any financial transactions, and that is why any credible casino out there must have a license. In every country, there is a specific governmental agency that issues these licenses. These agencies have different names depending on the country, but they have the same function. In case gambling is legal in a particular country, the casino needs to contact its respective national agency for the license.

Usually, the owners of the casino need to submit loads of papers that prove they have no shady past behind and that they are financially capable of sustaining such business. This bureaucratic procedure is too dull to explain in detail, but in the end, in case the owner of the company manages to prove his or her reputation, they get a license to run their business.

❓ Is it Legal to Gamble in the USA?

Yes, it is. Remember Las Vegas? It’s in the USA, so it is legal to gamble in this country. But are online slots legal? Here is the trick, running an online gambling business is prohibited in most states, but playing is not.

❓ Are Offshore Casinos Safe?

You must always check out the license. If there is a credible license issued by the respective governmental agency, then yes, this casino is safe.

❓ What is the Legal Online Gambling Age?

It depends on the country. If you want to play online roulette in the US, you need to know that the minimum age you can start gambling is 21, but in some countries, 18 is enough.

❓ Is it Legal to Deposit and Withdraw Money to Casino Account?

Yes, it is totally legal. You are free to do whatever you want to do with your money so you can deposit and withdraw whichever amount of money you need.

❓ Do I Need to Pay Taxes for My Winnings?

If you play in offshore casinos and win, the money technically comes from a foreign company, so you don’t have to pay taxes. If you play online blackjack in the USA, but the casino was registered in, say, Canada, the money does not belong to the US and is 100% yours.

❓ How to Understand if a License is True and Legitimate?

The real license must look like an official document, there has to be a signature of an individual who issued the document, and the stamp from the institution that issued it. Google both institution and the name of the person who issued the license, make sure these are real. Also, check what people say about this casino online. Make sure there were no shady stories related to that casino.

Legal Us Online Casinos

What if I was Scammed in an Online Casino?

Well, a licensed casino would never do that, scamming a single client can turn into a devastating blow to their reputation, so this is rather unlikely. Besides, you can file a lawsuit, and they will have to pay everything back and even more. So, this will most likely never happen to you if you play with legitimate dealers. If you were scammed by the unlicensed casino, well sorry, you will most likely never see that money again, that is just what shady casinos do.