Portugal’s online gambling market has achieved record-breaking success in the second quarter of the year, with total revenue reaching €205.9 million. This impressive quarterly result reflects a remarkable year-on-year increase of 41.8% and a substantial 4.9% growth from the first quarter. The surge in online casino revenue and sustained sports betting gains played pivotal roles in this upward trajectory.
Online Casino Dominates Growth:
The primary driver behind the surge in online gambling revenue was online casino operations, which reported a remarkable 51.6% year-on-year increase, totaling €122 million.
Players actively engaged with online casino games, contributing to a record-breaking €3.24 billion in wagers. Notably, 82.5% of these wagers were placed on slot machines, while French roulette and blackjack accounted for 7.6% and 5.4% of the total wagers, respectively.
Steady Rise in Sports Betting:
Sports betting also experienced notable growth, with revenue surging by 29.8% compared to the second quarter of the previous year, amounting to €84 million.
Despite a slight sequential decline from Q1, the sports betting handle stood at €357.6 million, marking a 17.1% year-on-year increase but a 19% decrease from the previous quarter.
Football remained the dominant sport for betting, representing 68.4% of all wagers, followed by tennis at 20.1% and basketball at 7.4%.
Player Engagement and Self-Exclusion:
The Portuguese gambling regulator, SRIJ, reported that a significant number of players actively engaged with the online gambling market. This quarter saw 190,200 new gambling accounts created, bringing the total number of registered accounts to 3.8 million by the end of the quarter.
However, the report also highlighted responsible gaming measures, with 181,600 players choosing to self-exclude from online gambling during the quarter, including 33,800 new self-exclusion registrations.
Land-Based Gambling Revenue Growth:
The positive momentum in Portugal’s gambling industry extended to land-based establishments, with revenue rising by 6.8% year-on-year to reach €66.8 million.
Slot machines remained the major revenue contributor, generating €49.6 million. Although this represented only a 1.8% increase, it remained a substantial part of land-based gambling revenue.
Casino-style and bingo games experienced robust growth, surging by 24.4% to reach €17.2 million in revenue.
Portugal’s gambling market, both online and land-based, has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth in the second quarter of the year. The surge in online casino revenue and sustained sports betting gains showcase the nation’s vibrant gambling ecosystem, while responsible gaming measures continue to be a priority for both operators and regulators in the region.