Betting should be a pastime, and only for adults aged 18 or over: online gambling is prohibited for minors (RJO, Art. 6(d), and Civil Code, Art. 122). Operators licensed by SRIJ must give you tools to control what you spend. Use them before you need them.
Deposit and betting limits
The law requires every licensed operator to provide tools on its site that let you limit the amounts you deposit and the bets you place (RJO, Art. 7(3)(d)). According to SRIJ:
- Deposit limit: limits the money going into your player account.
- Betting limit: limits the amounts you stake.
- For both, you can at least set a daily, weekly or monthly limit.
- Limits apply only on the site where you set them.
To choose an amount, try the deposit limit planner.
Set the limit before you bet, not after you lose.
Breaks
A break stops you playing for the time you choose. You request it on the operator’s site, it applies only to that site, and you can cancel it at any time. If you want a stop you cannot undo overnight, the tool is self-exclusion.
Self-exclusion
There are two ways to exclude yourself (RJO, Art. 39(2) and (3)):
- On an operator’s site: you are barred from playing on that site only.
- On the SRIJ self-exclusion platform: you are barred from playing on every licensed site in Portugal.
Either way, you choose:
- A set period, of at least 3 months. Your accounts are suspended and you can withdraw your balance.
- An indefinite period. Your accounts are closed and the balance is transferred to your payment account.
Self-exclusion starts once the request is formalised. If you ask to end it or bring the end date forward, the request only takes effect one month later, and the 3-month minimum still applies (RJO, Art. 39(4) and (5)).
If you exclude yourself only on one operator’s site, you can still play on the others. To cover every licensed site, use the SRIJ platform.
Warning signs
SRIJ suggests some questions to ask yourself:
- Do you find it hard to control the time or money you spend on gambling?
- Do you often try to win back money you have lost?
- Are you unable to stop gambling or to cut down the time and amounts?
Also check your account history regularly (bets, prizes and losses).
Linha 1414
Linha 1414, run by ICAD, offers free, anonymous and confidential support on working days, 10:00–18:00, staffed by clinical psychologists. There is also email counselling: [email protected]. Linha 1414 does not handle self-exclusion requests: those are made on the operator’s site or on the SRIJ platform.
Official sources
- SRIJ · Estratégias de controlo do jogo (ways to control your play, Portuguese)Checked 15/10/2026
- SRIJ · Autoexclusão e proibição (self-exclusion and bans, Portuguese)Checked 13/10/2026
- SRIJ · Self-exclusion platform (Portuguese)Checked 13/10/2026
- SRIJ · Serviços de apoio ao jogador (player support services, Linha 1414, Portuguese)Checked 13/10/2026
- RJO (Annex I to Decree-Law 66/2015), consolidated text published by SRIJ: Arts. 6, 7 and 39 (Portuguese)Checked 15/10/2026
- Civil Code, consolidated text: Art. 122 (a minor is under eighteen) (Portuguese)Checked 13/10/2026
Frequently asked questions
Can I end self-exclusion whenever I like?
You can ask to end it or bring the end date forward, but the request only takes effect one month later, and the minimum self-exclusion period is 3 months (RJO, Art. 39(4) and (5)).
Do the limits I set with one operator apply to the others?
No. Limits and breaks apply only on the site where you set them. Only self-exclusion requested on the SRIJ platform applies to every licensed site.
Can I ask for self-exclusion through Linha 1414?
No. Linha 1414 offers support, but self-exclusion is requested on the operator’s site or on the SRIJ self-exclusion platform. If in doubt, SRIJ gives the email [email protected].
What happens to the balance in my account?
With self-exclusion for a set period, your accounts are suspended and you can withdraw the balance. With indefinite self-exclusion, your accounts are closed and the balance is transferred to your payment account.