Lottery prize-winners in Portugal now subjected to money laundering checks

Lottery prize collection rules have been changed, using the all encompassing excuse of ‘anti money laundering measures.

Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, which runs Portugal’s lottery, is changing its rules for the payment of prizes of between €2,000 and €5,000 as from today, August 6th.

It no longer will be enough to present a bank account number as personal data and documents now will be needed before a transfer will be authorised.

The lottery institution has anticipated a European directive on money laundering and is insisting on a full set of documents to show full name, date of birth, taxpayer number, identification document and number, expiration date and the issuing entity.

The institution’s Edmundo Martinho explained, "There will be a process of additional identification that was not needed until now. From €2,000 to €5,000 there is now a process of validation of identification data, because up until now, the only requirement was for a banking NIB or IBAN."

This is "a bit more detailed, but still simplified," resulting from the "anticipation of what is needed for the anti money laundering directive, which introduces more stringent criteria for the identification of situations of this kind," said Martinho.

For those that understand the intricacies of Portuguese gaming, the Joker has been suspended indefinitely, after a 23 year run. Edmundo Martinho said this game may be reactivated after being modernised.

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