On July 24th, Portugal’s government announced the opening of a public tender for casino operators to launch five casinos across the areas of Espinho, Póvoa de Varzim, and the Algarve. The licenses will be awarded for the next 15 years, with a submission deadline of September 25, 2025.
It’s no surprise that government officials decided to expand tourist destinations to other regions of the country to attract more investment and create additional jobs for local communities.
How Will Portugal’s Gambling Experts Strike Shape the Casino Industry?
Each license will be awarded to the contestants with the highest score, which must include the following criteria:
- A fixed annual contribution of no less than 1.5 million euros ($1.7 million), with minimum bid increments of 100,000 euros ($115,545);
- A variable contribution based on 30–35 percent of gross gaming revenue, with 0.5 percentage point increments;
- A minimum annual contribution between 9 million euros ($10.3 million) and 11 million euros ($12.6 million)
Final decisions will be made by members of the jury appointed by the National Gaming Commission.
Gaming law expert Óscar Madureira highlighted certain factors that may seriously hinder the execution of the tender outcomes.
While everything appears to align with European laws on responsible gaming and facility upgrades, in reality, some crucial components are still missing.
“It’s excessive and misaligned with what I’d say are the needs of a country like Portugal in 2025. The tender should also set targets for creating hotel units linked to casinos. This isn’t something we’re inventing, it’s a model that already exists.”
Taking into account the recent global growth of iGaming, the lack of infrastructure related to land-based casinos could become a serious issue for investors and the local economy.
For example, with stricter regulations in the UK and higher taxation for gambling houses, the grey and black iGaming markets are growing to tremendous sizes. All of the non GamStop casino sites that don’t have a regional UKGC license attract more clients than those registered and labeled as safe by the government.
Understanding the deep roots of the problem with gambling, Portugal can face the same fate in terms of control over gambling activity. One of the crucial concerns for contenders lies in the transparency of the process.
Is It Really Open for Newcomers, or Looks to Be as Such on Paper?
Until recently, the main actor in the casino market of Portugal was Estoril Sol, operated by Macau gaming magnate Pansy Ho, who runs the Póvoa de Varzim casino. They demonstrate strong financial results in previous years, and there is a strong likelihood that this trend will continue.
Madureira recalls the previous tender that was won by Estoril Sol as an example of how rigid requirements and a short time preparation period can deter international investors.
“The way the tender was organized ended up severely limiting competitor options…The incumbent is much more favored, they’re already operating, they have the machinery in place, and they know the terrain.”
Something that should have been set as a competitive public tender may have been made up simply as a process of renewing the old contracts.
Major updates in gaming regulations that could see the industry as a whole, and not only specific factors like gambling areas, age verifications, and stake limits, are required to be taken now.
Otherwise, Portugal risks to left behind, especially when the iGaming industry is spreading around the world, and more and more new platforms with low minimum deposit limits are showing up on the internet.
By the time of March 2025, Portugal’s online gambling market had noted 30 licensed operators, grossing more than 284.7 million euros and contributing 82,7 million euros in tax revenue.
Without changing the perceptions of how this industry works to more flexible and faster solutions, the idea of creating new leisure casino-themed spaces is at risk of falling short. A holistic approach is a key solution here, as Madureira claims:
“A casino today should be part of a diversified operation. Hotels, restaurants, arenas, shows, conferences, these often represent a larger share of revenue than gaming itself. The world has moved on. A casino can no longer just be a building with tables. It has to be a destination.”