Portugal is especially reaping the benefits of this trend, as recent numbers from the last quarter of 2024 show that online gambling revenue has continued to climb within the country.
The last quarter of 2024 saw a gross online gambling revenue of €323 million, which is a 42% increase from the figure from the year before. All the numbers indicate that year on year, more money is entering the online gambling space in Portugal. This can be partially attributed to the growth of online sports betting, which has become apparent.
It is no secret that online gambling has become a global phenomenon. Thanks to the ease and convenience it offers players, more and more are turning to various gambling sites to have their needs met as opposed to visiting land-based establishments. As Wilna van Wyk writes, a myriad of consumers are enjoying virtually every sort of gambling game imaginable through various online establishments (Source: https://casinobeats.com/uk/online-casinos/non-gamstop-casinos/).
A look at the sports betting numbers will show that gambling consumers in Portugal wagered €138.3 million in that same quarter, which is significantly above the €91.2 million which was wagered in Q3 the year before. A further look at the numbers will show that certain sports brought in higher figures than others. Football reigned supreme, with 75% of wagers being placed on the sport. Tennis came in second, with 10.5% of the wagers, followed by basketball with 10.2%, and the remaining 4.3% was divided among other sports. This is no surprise as football is mega-popular within Portugal and thus, would take up a considerable amount of consumer attention.
Online casino revenue was also up by 19.5% in that fourth quarter, with €184.6 million reported. Slots proved to be the most popular of casino games, with 80.2% of the revenue. 5.4% of the revenue went to dice games, 5.3% went to roulette, and the remaining 4.8% went to blackjack.
One of the factors that led to these impressive numbers is the increased registration of new online gambling consumers. In that fourth quarter, 614,800 new registrations were reported, which is roughly a 15% increase from the year before. Many of these new consumers will be looking to take advantage of the convenience of online gambling, which is one of the biggest reasons for the industry's growth.
There are several reasons for this increase in revenue across the board besides the convenience of online gambling. There has been a rise in cryptocurrency use within the gambling industry, which has brought in a new wave of consumers who are passionate about digital assets. There is also more of a variety in terms of games. Crash games have become especially popular as they have a video game feel to them. With all these factors considered, numbers for Q4 2025 numbers may be even more impressive for the gambling space within and outside Portugal, helping the industry continue to thrive.
