Gambling in Portugal: The hidden dangers of illegal sites
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14 Nov 2024 •
Reading time: 2 minutes The Portuguese Association of Gambling Online (APAJO) has warned the Portuguese public about misleading information about illegal gambling advertisements. The organization has reported several influencers and eight gambling companies to the police.
Illegal gambling advertisements in Portugal
APAJO urges the Portuguese public to be alert to illegal gambling advertisements and to only play on legal platforms. The organization also urges affiliates and influencers not to distribute illegal gambling advertisements.
In an effort to eradicate illegal gambling, APAJO has filed criminal complaints against five influencers who promote illegal gambling sites. The defendants are Numeiro, Cláudia Nayara, ritinhayoutuber, GODMOTA and Bruno Savate.
In addition, APAJO has filed complaints against operators such as Betify, Monro, Weiss, BC.Game, Stake, Wolfi, Starda and Vem Bet. The organization has stressed that it will continue to report as new violations come to light.
Results of the annual study
APAJO’s warnings follow the publication of its annual study of online gambling behavior in Portugal, which found that only 37.7% of players who gamble on illegal sites are aware of their actions. The remaining 62.3% say they do not play with foreign operators or are not aware that they do so.
The study shows that up to 41% of players gamble on illegal platforms in total. This percentage is even higher among young people aged 18 to 34, where it rises to 52.1%.
Importance of clear information for the public
For Ricardo Domingues, Chairman of the Board of APAJO, it is crucial that the media help guide players to the legal market by providing clarity on which sites are legal.
“It is therefore essential that the Portuguese media is clear and accurate in the information provided about the sector, in order to prevent thousands of people from being continuously exposed to the risks of gambling on unlicensed sites.”
Legal rules for gambling in Portugal
The Legal Regime for Online Gambling and Betting stipulates that anyone who offers online gambling without the necessary license is guilty of illegal exploitation of online gambling. This law also applies to those who promote illegal gambling advertisements, with publications on social media having to remain within the legal limits.
Anyone who refers Portuguese followers to a site that is not on the Gaming Commission’s list of licensees can be prosecuted.
APAJO emphasizes compliance with the law
APAJO points out that ignorance of the law does not exempt from criminal offenses, and that those who themselves promote illegal gambling are not immune from criticism. Following the previous reports against Stake and Betify, among others, APAJO indicates that it will continue to support the police by reporting illegal advertisements.