Public Prosecutor's Office brought more than 780 charges for illegal gambling exploitation over six years
Between 2020 and 2025, the Portuguese Public Prosecutor's Office opened almost 1,900 inquiries and brought 781 charges for illicit exploitation of games of chance.
Public Prosecutor's Office brought more than 780 charges for illegal gambling exploitation over six years
The Attorney General's Office (PGR) opened 1,884 criminal proceedings to investigate the illicit exploitation of games of chance during the period from 2020 to 2025. Over the same time span, the Public Prosecutor's Office brought 781 formal charges for this type of crime, according to data provided to Público by the office headed by Amadeu Guerra. A total of 1,095 dismissal orders were also issued over these six years.
The phenomenon of illegal gambling exploitation in Portugal has increasingly migrated to the digital sphere. Online platforms operate without the proper authorisation of national regulatory bodies, attracting bettors with attractive promotions and sign-up bonuses, operating entirely outside current law and the oversight of the Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service.
In response to this situation, the PSD party put forward a proposal to create a digital certificate to help consumers distinguish between authorised and illegal operators. Portugal's self-exclusion system for gambling currently registers more than 380,000 users, highlighting the scale of the problem of pathological gambling and the illicit market.
Portuguese authorities are maintaining the fight against illicit gambling exploitation as one of their priorities, aiming to safeguard citizens and preserve the transparency of the regulated sector.
Source: Público