According to the official report published by the iGaming authorities in Portugal, the industry reached 122.6 million euros during the first year of regulated operations. The report reflects that sports betting has proven to be the main source of income for operators in the country.
The Regulatory and Inspection Service of Tourism of Portugal (SRIJ), the Portuguese regulator, obtained €54.2 million of the total value, mainly due to a 12% rate on the sports betting turnover.
"We are pleased with the results obtained in the iGaming market in Portugal, but we believe that the tax burden is still heavy for existing operators or potential ones. As pioneers of the digital gaming ecosystem in Portugal and Latin America, we would like to provide a contribution to a healthier regulated market, where the number one decision should be a profound change in the taxation model. The current tax (IEJO) is unfair to players and operators, creating a poor betting experience that all key stakeholders should seek At eGamingServices, we operate and offer our services from Lisbon, as well as a substantial number of our employees are Portuguese, so this is a very important market for us. We are available to create a discussion with other industry representatives of the online gaming sector: regulators, operators and suppliers in order to strengthen the Portuguese regulated market," said Tiago Almeida, CEO of eGamingServices.
The growth of the market was driven by an increase in the activity of sports betting. The organization is preparing a proposal for the European Commission to establish the economic conditions necessary for online poker operations. Portugal is thus positioned alongside other European countries that try to clarify the rules for the gaming industry.
Source: GMB
