Portugal’s gaming regulator is aiming to simplify the self-exclusion process as it embarks on a system overhaul and a new user experience.
Launched by the Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ) yesterday (8 April), players and non-players will be able to use the platform to self-exclude from all licensed online gaming operators in Portugal.
According to the regulator, the new system features a ‘simpler and more intuitive interface’ to allow for quicker and more efficient self-exclusion requests, and has also been optimised for mobile devices.
SRIJ stated: “With this new platform, SRIJ reinforces the quality of its digital services and the effectiveness of the gambling control mechanisms available to players.”
Players can self-exclude for a specific period of time, with a minimum period of three months or indefinitely.
Portugal’s gaming market has grown to 17 licensed operators since the regulation began in 2015. In Q4 2025, the market generated €337.6m, growth of 4.5% compared to the same period in 2024.
Responsible gaming is a key pillar of any regulated market, and the advancement of Portugal’s self-exclusion service advances these goals.
However, Miguel Luis, Head of Compliance at the Portuguese operator Lebull, emphasised that the jurisdiction must learn lessons from other markets and ensure measures do not create a level of friction that will push players to the black market.
Speaking to iGaming Expert, he commented: “ The biggest challenge is to maintain an engaging and frictionless experience while protecting the player from risky behaviour. The most common responsible gaming measures, such as wager, deposit or loss limits, are often seen by players as an ‘interference’ in their leisure time.
“I believe the right balance involves investing in educational UX/UI, with elements that resonate with the players, creating experiences where RG tools are presented not as barriers, but as elements of value to the user, and especially where these can be communicated as something good and at the reach of the player, not just as something ‘there’, or unilaterally imposed on the player.”
Luis also noted that an effective responsible gambling regime requires ‘true cross-sector’ collaboration between stakeholders.
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