Tax bill for illegal online gambling in Portugal: Industry calculates 2025 loss at 118 million euros

It is estimated that the state may be deprived of approximately 118 million euros of tax revenue in 2025 due to unlicensed online gambling and betting sites in Portugal.

The figure is not a tax loss officially calculated by the Autoridade Tributária. The forecast was made by Associação Portuguesa de Apostas e Jogos Online (APAJO) using official data of the legal market and estimated market share of illegal platforms.

This distinction is important: 118 million euros is not a finalized public loss, but an estimate created by the industry.

353 million euros tax collected from legal online gambling

According to Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (SRIJ) data, approximately 353 million euros Imposto Especial de Jogo Online was collected in 2025 from licensed online gambling and betting activities in Portugal.

The volume of online betting and gaming on legal platforms exceeded 23 billion euros.

Taking into account the estimated volume of activity in the illicit market, APAJO calculates that the tax that the state cannot collect may be approximately 118 million euros.

The association had predicted a loss of approximately 100 million euros for 2024.

In the research, 40 percent recognized unlicensed brands

In the "Hábitos de Jogo Online dos Portugueses" research prepared by Aximage for APAJO, it is reported that 40 percent of the participants identified unlicensed brands among the platforms they use.

Association in the survey He argues that there may be people using other illegal platforms that are not shown and therefore the real rate may be higher.

These are not SRIJ's official market share measurements, but the results of research commissioned by the industry association.

Which betting site is legal in Portugal?

In order to offer online betting or games of chance in Portugal, the operator must have a valid license issued by SRIJ.

SRIJ warns that users playing on unlicensed platforms may face risks such as loss of money, lack of protection of personal data and fraud.

Just because a site is in Portuguese, accepts euros, or mentions payment methods such as Multibanco/MB Way does not mean that it is legal in Portugal.

Users need to check an operator's license status through SRIJ's current licensed operator list.

Resources

Jornal Económico — José Carlos Lourinho — 16 September 2026

https://jornaleconomico.sapo.pt/noticias/estado-perdeu-118-milhoes-em-impostos-com-jogo-ilegal-em-2025/

ECO — September 16, 2026

https://eco.sapo.pt/2026/09/16/estado-perdeu-118-milhoes-em-impostos-com-jogo-ilegal-em-2025/

Serviço de Regulação e Inspecação de Jogos — Jogo ilegal

https://www.srij.turismodeportugal.pt/pt/jogo-seguro/o-problema-do-jogo-ilegal