Licensing and regulation

All online casinos need to be properly licensed to operate in a safe and respectable manner, and the online casinos coming out of Portugal and Ireland are no exception. Many of the online casinos discussed at Irishluck.ie are great examples of licensed establishments that showcase the uniqueness of Irish online casinos.

Though the licensing process is very similar in both countries, there are some interesting differences. Portugal has a stricter process for acquiring a casino license. The country has fewer gambling commissions than most other European countries, so Portuguese online casinos can sometimes take longer to acquire their license.

Portugal also has a more complex, rigorous and extensive licensing process in general due to laws that are largely unfamiliar to organizations operating in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

As for Ireland, the laws for gambling have lately been laxer for their online casinos. There are more gambling commissions, which results in more online casinos in general. Irish online casinos are also more likely to break out of their national borders to reach international players.

Gambling culture

Ireland and Portugal both have long histories with gambling culture and betting markets over the centuries. As deep as these histories are, many things have been upended or reformed in the wake of the online casino dominance that has been taking the web by storm in recent years.

Since online gambling is relatively new to both countries, the online gambling culture is largely the same. What’s distinctive is that there’s more of a social acceptance of gambling and online gambling in Ireland over Portugal. Anyone who visits both countries can expect Ireland to have more ads for online casinos.

Irish online casinos are also more likely to implement responsible tools to help curb problem gambling and related issues.

Games and website themes

The games found at Irish and Portuguese online casinos are largely the same. Slots, poker, blackjack, baccarat and roulette are very popular choices at online casinos originating from either country. There are some interesting differences you can pick up on if you pay close attention though.

Irish and Portuguese cultures are different, and this shines through in how their online casinos present themselves. Ireland has the more prominent gambling history. Many classic symbols and icons related to gambling also come from Irish myths and folklore, notably leprechauns and their pots of gold surrounded by rainbows.

This means that, predictably, there will be more Irish casinos with imagery and themes related to lucky charms and four-leaf clovers than Portuguese ones. This also applies to any games coming out of Irish online casinos, especially slot games.

Speaking of games, just as Ireland produces more online casinos than Portugal, they are also home to more software providers and online casino games in general. This is due to Portugal having considerably fewer gambling sites and commissions than Ireland, as mentioned above.

Irish online casinos are also more likely than Portuguese ones to be ahead of the curve, so to speak. Irish online casinos have consistently incorporated newer features and tech before Portuguese online casinos. This includes more payment methods like crypto, more foreign games, VR and live poker.

Should I pick an online casino from Portugal or from Ireland?

Both countries have produced very respectable and well-reviewed online casinos, but most people only need to register with one or two to get all they need from online gambling. So, are you an Ireland person or a Portugal person?

It all comes down to your own preferences. If you are big on payment method selections due to the benefits in privacy and faster withdrawal speeds, you may be better off selecting an Irish online casino. They are more likely to incorporate wider selections of debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrencies, e-wallets and international bank transfer methods. This is especially true for crypto, as Ireland has recently made their crypto laws more streamlined.

Irish online casinos are also going to be a better choice when it comes to variety, both in terms of online casino themes and game selections. Again, Ireland produces more online casinos than Portugal, so people with pickier tastes will probably be better off at an Irish online casino.

Irish casinos are also more likely to have better English language support. This applies to both the websites as well as any customer service available.

However, if you are a Portuguese resident, you will likely be better off at a Portuguese online casino yourself. There will be less hoops to jump through when it comes to regional access, and any taxes you may have to pay due to winnings will almost certainly be easier to deal with. Just be wary that all Portuguese online casinos must be licensed by a Portuguese gambling commission as required by law.

Conclusion

Though Irish and Portuguese online casinos have more similarities than differences, those distinctions are especially important to Irish and Portuguese residents looking for the optimal site to spend time playing poker and slots. They can make all the difference between a merely good online casino and a great one.

Whether that difference in quality is caused by regional accessibility or more accessible games is up to the player themselves. As the online gambling industry continues to evolve and diversify, we will surely see Irish and Portuguese online casinos that continue to showcase their countries’ respective cultural distinctions.