Portugal to Expand Casino Market Through New Tender
Portugal has officially launched a public tender process to award casino operating licenses across three key regions: Algarve, Espinho and Póvoa de Varzim. The licenses will be valid for a 15-year period from the date of the respective concession agreements. This tender marks a significant expansion in the country's casino market, with five new licenses being made available to eligible operators.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Currently, the Espinho and Póvoa de Varzim gaming zones each feature a single casino, while the Algarve area encompasses three separate licenses for the locations of Vilamoura, Monte Gordo and Barlavento. Under the current structure, Estoril Sol holds the license for the casino in Póvoa de Varzim, while Solverde operates the casinos located in Espinho, Vilamoura and Monte Gordo. Estoril Sol also retains licenses for the Lisbon and Estoril casinos, awarded through earlier tenders.
Related:Portugal Shows Significant Online Gambling Growth in Q4 of 2023The new licenses will allow operators to utilize the existing facilities and equipment throughout the term of the concession, with the exception of the Barlavento location. For Barlavento, the successful bidder will be responsible for providing the casino infrastructure, as no existing premises are currently designated for this site. The Portuguese government has set the application deadline for the public tender on September 5, 2025, giving interested parties over a year to prepare their proposals.
To qualify for participation, applicants must meet a range of eligibility criteria designed to ensure that only experienced and financially stable operators are considered. According to gaming law firm MdME, which operates offices in both Lisbon and Macau, candidates must demonstrate a minimum of five years' experience holding valid licenses for the operation of games of chance.
Additionally, they must show that they have been actively engaged in such operations for at least two consecutive years within the recent past, either in Portugal or abroad. Financial soundness will also be a critical factor in the evaluation process.
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Licensing Fees Won't Come Cheap
Applications will be assessed through a multi-criteria ranking model that prioritizes financial commitments. Bidders must include an annual fixed fee, a proposed percentage of gross gaming revenue as a variable fee and a specified minimum value for the variable component.
The combination of these three financial elements will be used to determine the highest-ranked offers. The license in each area will be granted to the applicant whose bid scores the highest based on this model.
In addition to the annual financial obligations, license winners will be required to pay an upfront license fee. The amounts for these fees have been pre-determined: €31 million for the Algarve license, €36 million for the Espinho license, and €33.7 million for the Póvoa de Varzim license. These one-time fees are intended to reflect the value of exclusive operating rights in each respective gaming zone over the 15-year license period.
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