Are Foreign Online Casinos Safe? A Portuguese Perspective

The question of whether foreign online casinos are safe requires a clear definition of what constitutes a “foreign” versus a “national” gaming site. Many casinos operating under licenses from the Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (SRIJ), the Portuguese regulatory body, are technically foreign, as their headquarters are located outside of Portugal. While some might mistakenly consider these SRIJ-licensed casinos as national entities, the reality is that a casino with its headquarters abroad should be classified as foreign.

CasinoReal’s Insights

António Matias, editor at CasinoReal, offers reviews and evaluations of online casinos available in Portugal, regardless of whether they are based domestically or internationally. CasinoReal aims to provide players with information to make informed decisions. The platform assesses casinos based on a range of criteria:

• Licensing
• Security measures
• Responsible gaming practices
• Game selection and providers
• Bonuses and promotions
• Customer support quality
• Mobile platform functionality
• Deposit and withdrawal methods

These factors, combined with the casino’s interface, layout, and design, are crucial in determining whether a site is legal, secure, and trustworthy.

CasinoReal aims to provide Portuguese players with a comprehensive overview of the current market, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each gaming platform to offer impartial and transparent analyses.

Choosing the right casino before registering is the first step toward an immersive, secure, and enjoyable gaming experience.

Understanding Foreign Online Casinos

As previously mentioned, many casinos licensed by the SRIJ are foreign-based, with their headquarters located outside Portugal. Other foreign casinos, licensed by different entities, may also be worth considering, depending on their security and reliability.

Focusing on SRIJ-licensed casinos, there are currently 17 licensed entities operating in the Portuguese market:

• Betclic, headquartered in Malta, has a branch in Algés.
• 888, Betway, and Moosh.pt are based in Malta.
• Bwin, Nossa Aposta, Placard, Betano, Luckia, Lebull, GoldenPark, and ESC Online are headquartered in Lisbon.
• Bidluck.pt is based in Leiria.
• Bacanaplay, headquartered in Malta, has a branch in Lisbon.
• Pokerstars, headquartered in Malta, has a branch in Porto.
• Casino Portugal is based in Figueira da Foz.
• Solverde is headquartered in Espinho.

While many casinos are national, based in Portugal, a significant number are headquartered in Malta, classifying them as foreign online casinos.

The Portuguese market includes foreign online casinos with various licenses. Rather than simply determining if a foreign casino is safe, it’s essential to understand the specific license and security protocols in place, regardless of whether the casino is national or foreign.

CasinoReal’s experts conduct this type of analysis, focusing on licensing, privacy policies, terms and conditions, and responsible gaming promotion, rather than solely on the casino’s location. They also assess security protocols to determine the safety and reliability of the gaming site.

Key Security Considerations

These are the aspects considered when assessing the security of a casino:

• Data encryption
• SSL, HTTPS, and other security protocols
• Game fairness (RNG – Random Number Generator)
• Privacy policy
• Anti-Money Laundering (AML) policy
• Transparent Terms & Conditions
• Responsible Gaming

More than the casino’s nationality, the elements above are essential rules for new safe casinos. Whether it’s a real money online casino or a live casino with a live dealer, these are the essential aspects for assessing security and integrity.