Portugal Casino Minimum Age

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Portuguese casino revenue has yet to fully recover from the impact of the global financial crisis, having fallen from a peak of €386m in 2008 to €309m in 2017, the most recent year for which data is available.

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However, the Portuguese legal framework does not provide for the possibility of B2B operators being granted a licence to operate an online gambling platform in Portugal. Typically, B2C operators subcontract online providers of gambling services, but the licence itself is granted to the B2C operator. The minimum gambling age is 18 at all Indian casinos for bingo or poker and 21 for electronic gaming machines. The minimum gambling age is 18 for pari-mutuel betting or poker and 21 for gaming machines. The minimum drinking age on all boats is 21.

Land-based casinos in Portugal are restricted to specific gambling zones: Açores, Algarve, Espinho, Estoril, Figueira da Foz, Funchal, Porto Santo, Póvoa de Varzim, Troia and Vidago-Pedras Salgadas.

Portugal casino minimum age limits

There are 12 casinos and one gaming room in operation in Portugal

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Casinos can offer table games, including baccarat, blackjack/21, craps, cussec, American and French roulette and poker games.

The government may authorise other forms of games of chance at the request of existing operators, but the SRIJ must provide an opinion of the proposed activity. Casinos can also only use gambling material that has been previously authorised by the SRIJ.

Land-based poker is only allowed within casinos, either in cash games or tournaments, as it is considered a game of chance in Portugal.

Portugal’s gambling regulator, the Regulation and Inspection Service of Games (SRIJ), is a component of the Tourism Office.

Aside from casinos, the gambling market in Portugal is dominated by Santa Casa, an historic charitable organisation which holds a monopoly over lottery games, land-based betting on sports and horseracing.

A liberalised online gambling market was introduced in May 2016, but has faced challenges due in large part to a tough tax regime, with online casinos taxed at a variable rate of 15-30 percent of GGR, but is now worth roughly 4 percent of market-wide GGR.

It was confirmed in October 2018 that initiatives to soften Portugal’s online gambling tax regime, through a consolidation of online gambling tax at 25 percent of GGR, were to be excluded at the last minute from the 2019 Budget

A working group set up to analyse potential tax changes in Portugal was then due to report in February, 2019, but failed to publish any findings.

Here are different gambling age limits in some European countries. Let's check them out before we do any wagering in these countries. Enjoy the tour!

Portugal Casino Minimum Age Requirement

First stop is France. Here as long as we're 18 or above, we may engage in gambling. The age limit used to be 21 but was changed in 1987. This reminds us of the Bahamas age limit ruling for gambling—first it was 21 then it was lowered to 18. The same has happened in 12 German states where the legal gambling age has been lowered from 21 to 18.

Portugal is not to be left behind, though having a unique policy on underage gambling: With tourists it's 18 years old and up. But with Portugal constituents it's 21 and up. Some Portuguese casinos even have it at 25 years and up. It is observed that most countries, unlike the US, are more consistent with their gambling laws on minors.

Most European countries think that maturity needed for gambling comes early in life for their young people. This is similar with what Canada sees as the legal age for gambling—as early as 18 to 19 years old. US states often have 21. If we try England's gambling age limits, it believes 16 year-old youths are old enough for Lottery. Belgium treats casinos as some sort of private social clubs where membership is required and limited to those 21 years old and above.

Portugal Casino Minimum Age Limit

Bulgaria used to limit their casino players to non-communist guests alone. Since 1990, however, it opened casinos to its public at the height of democratization but with an age limit of 18 years old and above. Denmark wants its gamblers in casinos also to be at least 18. So does Finland. Casino-style gaming here offers slots in eateries and bars, low stakes card games found in metropolitan arcades, among others.

In Greece, were many gambling games are said to have originated, the age policy for gambling is pegged at 23 years and above. We are not allowed to enter any casino or gambling venue if we're below 23. In Spain, a seat of a world renown religion, minors 18 and below are strictly prohibited from even entering gambling venues of any kind. New Zealand does not allow us to enter any gambling place unless we're 20 years old and up.

Portugal Casino Minimum Age Rating

Gambling age limits in some European countries vary from each other. But most of them prefer to have gamblers from age 18 and up.