Portuguese Regulator SRIJ Bans Posts With Live Gambling Odds

Last updated on February 10th, 2024

It seems like the relentless crackdown on all gambling advertisements is happening all around Europe, with the Portuguese regulator being the latest to impose restrictions on basically all gambling advertisements, including live odds. Prior to Portugal, the Dutch minister of legal protection was the last to make a pledge to greatly restrict the advertising freedom of the gambling providers in his country.

In the case of Portugal however, the country’s official gambling regulator, the SRIJ, revealed the new gambling guidelines, specifically regarding the display of live odds. In particular, according to the new law, licensed operators are prohibited from publishing, and eventually updating real-time odds from any live sports events, regardless of the platform or the event.

According to the new gambling guidelines in Portugal by the SRIJ, this includes any/all online posts, messages or ads, in all stadiums, arenas and courts. Moreover, the regulator warned that any violation of the new law, regardless of whether the live odds are displayed on a paper flyer or on a LED screen, will be considered illegal advertising, and as such it will trigger an appropriate procedure against that particular operator.

Consequently, ever since October of 2021 and the beginning of the new gambling framework proposed by the SRIJ, Portugal is really dedicated to creating a well-controlled gambling environment, especially when it comes to gambling advertisements. Particularly, the new gambling guidelines put a clear limit on the duration of gambling advertisements. as well as putting special emphasis on a law that specifically protects minors.

With this, the Portuguese authority becomes just the latest of the long list of operators that are in the process of ‘re-shaping’ their current gambling regulations, especially when it comes to imposing restrictions on advertisements. Just one week ago, the Congress of Chile asked for an urgent bill regarding all gambling advertisements in the country.

In the UK on the other hand, a survey by YouGov in June of 2021, showed that 77% of the population of the country is in favour of putting restrictions on gambling advertisements. If we add the Dutch issue that is also specifically addressing excessive gambling advertising, it is clear that gambling operators around the world should start considering other solutions to their publicity problem.