Portugal’s gambling association files complain against influencers, operators over illegal ads

The Portuguese Online Gambling and Betting Association (APAJO) has filed criminal complaints against five influencers and eight operators for promoting illegal gambling, urging the public to avoid unlicensed platforms and calling on affiliates to follow the law.

The APAJO trade group is stepping up its campaign against illegal gambling advertisements and operations, reporting influencers Numeiro, Cláudia Nayara, ritinhayoutuber, GODMOTA, and Bruno Savate for promoting unlicensed sites. It also lodged complaints against operators including Betify, Monro, Weiss, BC.Game, Stake, Wolfi, Starda, and Vem Bet. The organization vowed to continue monitoring and reporting further offenses.

APAJO’s actions come after an annual study that highlighted widespread public unawareness about illegal gambling sites. The study showed that only 37.7% of players betting on illegal sites were aware of doing so, with 62.3% either unaware or believing they were not engaging with offshore operators. The study also revealed that approximately 41% of players in Portugal gamble on illegal sites, with this figure rising to 52.1% among those aged 18 to 34.

APAJO president Ricardo Domingues emphasized the media's role in educating the public on licensed gambling platforms. “It is, therefore, very critical that the Portuguese media are clear and accurate with the information provided about the sector, in order to prevent thousands of people from being continually exposed to the risks of betting on unlicensed sites,” he said.

Under Portugal’s Online Gaming and Betting Legal Regime, operating or promoting unlicensed online gambling is illegal. APAJO stressed that posting ads for unlicensed gambling sites on social media is also a violation, warning that ignorance of the law does not exempt individuals from liability.

APAJO said it will continue to work with law enforcement, pointing out that it considers ongoing public education essential in steering players towards legal options.