Portugal Tightens Gambling Ad Rules — What It Means for Affiliates
Several parties in parliament have already proposed stronger limits:
- Bans on gambling sponsorships in sports and media,
- Stricter warning labels on all gambling promotions,
- Restrictions on influencer advertising, and
- Tighter monitoring of online marketing campaigns.
The ruling Socialist Party (PS) also wants to modernize regulations by improving self-exclusion tools and redirecting part of gambling tax revenues to regional development — particularly in underpopulated areas.
But operators and industry groups, like APAJO, are pushing back. They argue that over-restricting ads could push players to unlicensed offshore platforms, since legal brands would lose visibility. According to APAJO, about 40% of Portuguese online gamblers already use unlicensed sites — often without realizing it.
What This Means for Affiliates
If you’re promoting iGaming offers in Portugal, expect tighter ad compliance requirements and potential limitations on how you can attract traffic. Traditional channels like sports sponsorships or influencer collaborations may soon fall under new restrictions.
That means it’s time to:
- Review your campaigns for local compliance and transparency,
- Focus more on content marketing and SEO than aggressive ads,
- Partner only with licensed operators — regulators will likely start watching affiliate traffic more closely,
- Monitor legislative updates, because what’s “acceptable” advertising today could soon require approval or even be banned.
In short: Portugal’s moving toward a stricter, safer, and more responsible gambling ecosystem. Affiliates who adapt early — by aligning with compliant brands and using more educational or content-driven formats — will have the upper hand when the new rules hit.
