David

Digital Transformation of Portugal: How Politics is Changing Citizens’ Habits?

Over the last decade, Portugal has become a leader in digitalization in Southern Europe, affecting all areas of life, from government services to citizens’ habits. The government is implementing electronic services, developing remote work infrastructure, and tightening digital market regulations.

Political decisions directly influence online behavior, especially in the online leisure sector. While authorities discuss new taxes and laws, millions of users are engaging in virtual games, betting, and other forms of digital entertainment.

The State and Digital Economy: New Rules of the Game

Portuguese authorities are balancing innovation support with consumer protection. A key measure is the “digital tax” on international services, introduced in 2023, imposing a 6% tax on subscriptions to platforms like Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon Prime.

This has led to mixed reactions. While the tax generated 28 million euros for digital infrastructure, many users have turned to alternative, often pirated, platforms. A Universidade Nova de Lisboa study found illegal streaming subscriptions increased by 17% post-tax.

Discussions also focus on online casino and betting regulation. The National Gambling Agency (SRIJ) has increased requirements for licensed operators, mandating strict age verification and user identification. Non-compliance can result in fines up to 500,000 euros.

Portugal’s digital transformation has even affected the leisure sector. While the authorities are working on new subscription tax laws, thousands of Portuguese people are exploring casino online a dinheiro real — a market that grew by 40% after the pandemic.

The Phenomenon of Online Entertainment: Why Do Portuguese People Choose Digital Leisure?

The COVID-19 pandemic became a catalyst for the boom in digital entertainment. During lockdowns, people, confined to their homes, turned to online games and betting as a way to socialize and experience thrills. But surprisingly, even after restrictions were lifted, this habit persisted.

Key Statistics:

  • Portuguese people now spend 2.5 times more time on online games and betting than five years ago.
  • According to a Marktest report, around 32% of citizens aged 18-35 have placed bets or played in online casinos in the past year.
  • Of these, 15% do so regularly — at least once a week.

Interestingly, while the state is limiting gambling, it is also indirectly stimulating its popularity. A prime example is the “Digital Nomads” program, which attracts foreign IT specialists to the country. Many of them use VPNs to access international gaming platforms, and locals are adopting this practice as well.

Technological Progress and Legislative Regulation

The development of 5G networks and the expansion of high-speed internet coverage in rural areas create new opportunities for digital entertainment. According to ANACOM, by 2023, 78% of the country’s territory had access to the internet at speeds above 100 Mbps. This is significantly higher than the European average.

However, legislation is not always keeping up with technology. For instance, popular games with gambling elements are still in a regulatory gray area. Experts from Universidade do Porto warn that this may lead to new forms of gambling addiction among teenagers.

Security vs. Freedom: What Awaits Users?

The European Union is developing new directives on data protection and financial security, requiring Portugal, as a member, to adapt its legislation. Expected changes include:

  • Stricter age checks for games and betting, with biometric identification required on all platforms by 2024.
  • Significant restrictions on gambling advertising on social media and TV, with pilot projects already underway in several regions.
  • Gambling addiction to be included in the list of diseases covered by the national healthcare system.

Despite a 40% increase in gambling addiction cases over the past three years, experts warn that these measures could push users toward unregistered sites, potentially fueling the shadow market.

Social Consequences of Digital Transformation

The digitalization of leisure has not only economic but also profound social consequences. Sociologists from the University of Lisbon note several alarming trends:

  • A decline in face-to-face communication among young people. 65% of those surveyed aged 18-25 prefer online interactions to real meetings.
  • Growth in social inequality. Access to paid digital entertainment is mostly available to urban residents and wealthier social groups.
  • A change in the structure of free time. The average Portuguese now spends 4.5 hours a day on digital entertainment, 2 hours more than ten years ago.

Future Prospects: What Lies Ahead?

The digital entertainment market is transforming through three key trends:

  1. VR Technologies & Metaverses: By 2025, one in three Portuguese gamers is expected to regularly use VR devices, driven by 5G and government investments in digital tourism.
  2. Blockchain & NFT Games: The regulatory framework is evolving, with the Ministry of Economy preparing national standards for NFT games, though digital asset taxation remains under debate with the EU.
  3. AI & Content Personalization: Portuguese startups are experimenting with AI, and adaptive algorithms being tested in Lisbon’s tech parks could revolutionize content personalization, including for licensed online casinos.

These advancements are outpacing legislative regulation.

Conclusion: Digital Transformation as a New Reality

Portugal is at the intersection of technology, politics, and habits. While the state attempts to control the digital environment, users are ahead. Online entertainment, especially gambling, reflects these shifts. The future will reveal whether Portugal can balance technological progress with social responsibility, ensuring its place as a leader in European digitalization.

David

White House Tour: Interior

In 1791, the first representative, George Washington, chose the location for the White House. In 1792, the construction started, and Irish-born builder James Hoban proposed the winning proposal. In 1800, President John Adams and his companion, Abigail, settled into the incomplete house after eight renovation years. The British burned down the President’s House in 1814 after the Battle of 1812. President James Monroe lived in the building in 1817 after President James Hoban was chosen to restore it. The South Portico was built in 1824 under Monroe’s supervision, and Andrew Jackson supervised the installation of the North Portico in 1829. Various attempts to enlarge the President’s House significantly or construct an altogether new house for the President were introduced in the late nineteenth century, but these designs were never realized.

White House: A Historical Building

The White House displayed considerable systemic deterioration symptoms around 50 years since Roosevelt’s reconstruction. All except the exterior walls were removed as part of President Harry S. Truman’s restoration of the house. Architect Lorenzo Winslow oversaw the renovation, and in 1952 the Truman family returned to the White House. The White House has been home to every President since John Adams, and the building’s past stretches well past its completion. The White House is also the President of the USA and a museum of American history, from the First Floor Corridor quarters, which were converted from their early usage as an area for services, to the Government Floor places, where numerous politicians and diplomats have been welcomed. The White House is a building where history is still being made.

The Colossal Structure of the White House

The vast structure is divided into three parts: the East Wing, the West Wing, and in the centre is the Executive Residence. Two colonnades run between them. The six-story Executive Residence complex is the biggest among them. It includes two underground levels, a bottom floor where building employees serve, a government floor for functions and gatherings, and two floors where the President’s family stays and resides. The President holds formal receptions in the oval-shaped Blue Room on the state floor. It has been the same colour since 1837, with blue upholstery, blue curtains, and blue carpet.

White House Facts Regarding Interior and Exterior

·         The Residence has 132 quarters or separate rooms, 35 toilets, and six floors. 

·         The building contains 412 doors. Around 147 windows and 28 fireplaces are installed to accommodate ventilation and balance weather conditions.

·         There are eight staircases and three elevators to move around the building

·         The White House was being referred to as the “President’s Palace,” the “President’s House,” or the “Executive Mansion” at numerous periods in time. In 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt granted the White House its present name.

·         President James Polk (1845-1849) was the first Leader to have a snapshot captured of him while in government. President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09) was the first president to drive in a car and venture outside the nation while he toured Panama. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-45) was the first person to travel by air.

·         The White House kitchen will offer a meal to up to 140 people and appetizers to over 1,000 people.

·         To complete the outside of the White House, 570 buckets of paint are needed.

·         It has its library named the Indian Treaty Room. The reading material was shelved in alcoves on multiple categories parallel to the main reading area. The room did not represent a library in the traditional sense. Around 1918 and 1921, the Navy Department abandoned the site, with the library being the last to evacuate in 1923. From 1950 to 1961, the Indian Treaty Room was also used for presidential press conferences and well-equipped with the bookshelf speakers and bookshelf speaker stands.

Blue, Red and Green Rooms

The President holds formal receptions in the oblong Blue Room on the government floor. It has been the same colour since 1837, with blue furniture, blue shades, and a blue rug. Two parlours for entertainment are located to the left and right of the Blue Room. The Red Space, with its bright red walls, is one of them. The Green Room is the other parlour, which has green walls. The first family’s official living space is the Yellow Oblong Room, situated just above the Blue Room.

The Bowling Alley

There are many rooms for entertainment in the house.  An exclusive bowling alley can be found under the North Portico in the basement of the Executive Residence. The alley is only one lane and is used by dignitaries and presidents. This one-lane alley is digitally equipped with huge-sized LEDs and speakers.

The Cinema Room

The East Archway has a cinema room that stretches nearly the whole length of the building. Presidents and their friends have access to whatever film they choose, at any period of the day, well when it is not even released in theatres. It has built-in speakers and projectors for further enhancements. Many presidential families do not enjoy this luxury in other countries.

The Situation Room

The Situation Room, a 5,000 square-foot facility in the underground, is where the President provides information and crisis assistance. The National Security Council is in charge of it.

The Naval Restaurant

The Navy Messing and Ward Room, a restaurant run by the US Navy, is located a few rooms down. Official meals, like dinner parties, are held in the State Dining Room, which is separate from the Navy Messing and Ward Room. It can seat up to 140 people. In any way, these restaurants and dining halls are on par with every five-star establishment.

The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

The James S. Brady Press Conferences Space, where the White House national media coordinator provides updates to the news media, is one of the most photographed areas in the West Wing. We often see coverage on TV in this room. Many diplomats and dignitaries often give media briefings in this room.