Portugal Launches Centralised Self-Exclusion Portal for Online Gambling — All Licensed Sites Covered From Single Platform

Portugal’s gambling regulator has activated a single digital gateway that lets individuals block themselves from every licensed online betting and gaming platform in the country, replacing a patchwork of operator-level procedures that consumer advocates long criticised as inadequate.

The Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ) confirmed the portal went live on April 8, accessible at autoexclusaoonline.srij.turismodeportugal.pt. It marks the first time Portuguese residents can suspend or permanently revoke their access to all regulated online gambling operators through one unified process.

What Changes

Until now, anyone seeking to self-exclude from online gambling in Portugal had to navigate separate procedures with each individual operator. The new platform eliminates that burden by applying a single request across the entire licensed market. Key features include:

• A mobile-optimised interface designed primarily for smartphone users
• The ability for third parties — such as family members or legal representatives — to file exclusion requests on behalf of an individual
• Coverage spanning all SRIJ-licensed online gaming and betting sites operating in Portugal

The third-party provision is particularly notable. It acknowledges that problem gambling often impairs a person’s willingness or capacity to seek help independently, shifting some of that responsibility to those closest to them.

Why It Matters

The timing is significant. Portugal’s regulated online gambling sector generated €297.1 million in revenue during the third quarter of 2025, the second-highest quarterly figure on record, according to SRIJ data. Meanwhile, land-based casino earnings fell 4.6 per cent year-on-year over the same period, underscoring a continued migration of gambling activity to digital channels.

The previous fragmented system created an obvious loophole: a player who self-excluded from one operator could simply register with another. By centralising the mechanism, SRIJ closes that gap and brings Portugal closer to the standard already set by jurisdictions with mature responsible-gambling frameworks.

Broader Context

Portugal is not acting in isolation. Brazil introduced its own centralised self-exclusion system in December 2025, and Russia followed a similar path in September of that year. In the United Kingdom, where the Gamstop scheme has operated for several years, registrations among users aged 16 to 24 surged 40 per cent in the second half of 2025 — a figure that suggests growing awareness of gambling harm among younger demographics and validates the case for accessible exclusion tools.

The SRIJ portal represents a pragmatic regulatory step rather than a sweeping reform. It does not alter licensing conditions, impose new obligations on operators, or cap spending. What it does is remove friction from a process that, by design, should be as simple as possible for someone in distress. Whether it proves effective will depend on uptake, enforcement, and the willingness of operators to integrate smoothly with the new system.