Is passport needed to get into Portugal Casinos?
 

Since I can't get many restaurant recommendations for Cascais, Sintra, or Lagos area, maybe I can get some advice about the casinos.

I recently read that passports are needed to get into the casinos in Portugal. If anyone has visited Portugal recently and went to the casinos in Estoril, Praia da Rocha, or Villamoura, could you let me know if you must present a passport for just the slot machines? We don't want to carry them with us if they are not needed.

Thanks for any advice.

Yes, passports are nearly always required for casinos where you are not a standing member.

If one's out and about, I'd imagine it unlikely that they just decide to pop into a casino. Portugal is hardly Las Vegas. Therefore it's perfectly reasonable to carry a passport on you for that express purpose.

They were required when I wa there a couple of years ago. The idea is that they want foreign visitors to lose lots of money - but don;t want locals betting the rent money.

Here in Spain they ask for your ID card so I suppose they will ask for the passport to foreign visitors. And I don't think it's different in Portugal.

<i>We don't want to carry them with us if they are not needed. </i>

You never know when your passport will be needed. Carry it with you at all times. What the heck, it ain't the Holy Grail, and it can be replaced.

As for casinos in Europe, every one of the half dozen or so that I have been in over the years have requested identification, and the only ID recognized internationally is a passport.

The casinos in France and Monaco did not ask for passports when we were last year. Different country, different rules!

Thanks for the information about Portugal.

In Estoril (sp) in 2003 we were able to go in and play slots without a passport, however they asked for a passport to enter where the table games are.

Was in Estoril a few months ago and did not need any ID top go into casino. However, unlike Vegas, to enter the table game area there is a charge.Don't know about ID verificatio. I didn't intend to actually participate in the games, and I wasn't allowed to even watch the action.

Thanks so much for the information. We leave tomorrow!