Portuguese online GGR jumps 24.6% in Q4 2021
Southern European nation posts yearly and quarterly growth as online casino sector drives market
The Portuguese market’s online gross gaming revenue (GGR) rose 24.6% year-on-year (YoY) and rose by 23.6% compared to Q3 2021, driven largely by the online casino sector.
According to the latest published results by the country’s regulator, SRIJ, the final three months of 2021 saw GGR reach €141.1m (£121m), up from €113.2m in Q4 2020.
The biggest increase in GGR came from online casino revenue, which reached €75.3m, a 53.3% YoY increase.
The total stakes of online casino wagers also increased in Q4, reaching €2.1bn, rising by €689.2m YoY.
Slot games were the most popular online casino game among players in Q4, accounting for 78.3% of all wagers.
French roulette was the second most popular game type, representing 9.4% of wagers, while blackjack took the bronze medal with a 5.1% share.
Sports betting revenue saw a minor increase of 2.6% YoY, reaching €65.8m.
Football remained the most popular sport for betting customers in Portugal, with 77.3% of all bets being placed on football.
The Portuguese Primera Liga proved the most popular football league to bet on, with 11.1% of total football wagers placed on it in Q4 2021. Next came the English Premier League with 9.1%, closely followed by the UEFA Champions League with 8.3% and the Italian Serie A with 7%.
Basketball was second on the list with 11.5% of bets as the NBA season tipped off. Tennis came in third with 6.6% of bets.
The number of new player registrations across online casino and sports betting decreased by 27.6% YoY, with 212,600 players signing up in Q4 2021 compared to 293,800 in Q4 2020.
However, the number of new player registrations did rise quarter-on-quarter by 31% from 162,300.
The regulator also noted that a total of 109,400 customers had self-excluded themselves from all forms of gambling.
The SRIJ also blocked 119 websites in the region in Q4 and halted 34 other sites from operating in Portugal.