Madeira's regional government has launched an international tender for the exclusive concession to operate Casino do Funchal. The current licence expires on 31 December 2026.
Resolution No. 723/2026, adopted on 15 July and published in the official regional journal on 21 July, approves a restricted procedure with pre-qualification and international publication. The regional secretariat for tourism, environment and culture oversees the process. The Funchal gaming zone will continue under an exclusive concession model: candidates undergo pre-qualification assessing financial stability and technical capacity, after which qualified bidders submit detailed proposals.
The legal framework combines Portugal's gaming law (Decree-Law No. 422/89), under which casinos are state property but may be concessioned to private operators, and the public contracts code. The restricted format mirrors mainland Portugal's approach, where similar casino tenders launched in 2025. Industry observers cite Cirsa, Groupe Barrière and Comar as potential participants.
Less than six months remain before the current concession expires, and the schedule is tight. On the mainland, competitions did not conclude before licences expired and temporary extensions were required to maintain operations. Regional authorities stress the importance of continuity for gaming activity, tourism and investment.
The incumbent operator is ITI/Grupo Pestana, which has held the concession since 1968 and operated Casino do Funchal directly since 1986. There will be no automatic renewal: the company will compete on equal terms with new entrants. Tender documentation is expected to be published with qualification criteria, evaluation methodology, concession term and investment commitments.
