Portugal’s regulator has approved a draft regulation that will allow crash games to be played in the country.
Portugal’s Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ) announced the approval yesterday (19 May). It took effect today (20 May), with the country’s Legal Regime for Online Gaming and Betting amended to include crash games in the legislation.
Crash games are house-banked games that allow players to play against the operator. They are based on a multiplier, which increases from 1 throughout the game to a maximum of 100.
Players aim to withdraw their bet before the game ends, receiving their initial stake times the multiplier if they do so. If they fail to do so, they lose their stake.
The legislation states that the multiplier will go from 1x to 100x. Additionally, the return to player cannot be less than 80%.
Licensed operators in the country may now apply for permission to offer the games.
In March, SRIJ issued a ban on posting odds for live sports events online or in-venue.
No.1/2022/SRIJ, which was put in place on 18 March, states that operators must not publish live odds on matches on any platform, including on LED advertising boards inside stadiums and arenas.
SRIJ said any appearance of live, up-to-date odds would be considered illegal advertising and operators could face regulatory action.
Portugal’s decision to ban live odds mirrors similar regulations in other European nations including The Netherlands, where law prohibits advertising during sports events in order to discourage players from impulsive betting.
