Sport, social policy and poverty in Portugal: analysis of the Programa Nacional de Desporto para Todos (PNDpT) funding

Passos, Felipe Barbosa; Athayde, Pedro Fernando Avalone

doi:10.22456/1982-8918.148959

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Sumário

Original Articles • Movimento 32 • 2026 • https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.148959 linkcopy

Sport, social policy and poverty in Portugal: analysis of the Programa Nacional de Desporto para Todos (PNDpT) funding

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

This research sought to examine the configuration of funding and public expenditure on sports policies aimed at broadening participation in sports in Portugal, especially those that provide opportunities for low-income populations. The data linked to the Programa Nacional de Desporto para Todos (National Sport for All Program)—PNDpT—were our empirical basis for this study, which showed that the Portuguese State plays a limited role in the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ) budget, with sports betting and online gambling being the main sources of funding for this Institute. Regarding the PNDpT, we point out that the IPDJ’s average budget share in 2022 was limited to 13% of total costs, which may hinder the expansion of this program. By way of reflection, we suggest that resources could be better allocated, since while the PNDpT accounts for only 2.5% of the IPDJ budget, transfers to sports federations account for 75%.

Keywords
Sports policy; Sports for All; Social policy

Area of Action	Programs, Spaces, and Actions	Responsible Government Agency
Competitive Sports	Financial Support for Federated Sports (AFDF)	IPDJ
	Training Initiatives Support Program (PAAF)
	Jamor National Sports Center (CDNJ)*
	Department of Sports Medicine (DMD)*
Sport for All	Sports Facilities Rehabilitation Program (PRID)	IPDJ
	National Sport for All Program (PNDpT)
	Jamor National Sports Center (CDNJ)*
	Department of Sports Medicine (DMD)*
Student Sports	Strategic School Sports Program	Directorate-General for Education
Student Sports	University Federated Sports	Directorate-General for Education

Budgetary Sources	Legal Provisions	Purpose
State: tax revenue	Decree-Law No. 98/2011, of September 21, Article 17, paragraph 1	Establishes the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth, I. P., and approves its organizational structure.
State: tax revenue	Law No. 12/2022, of June 27	Provides for the State budget for 2022 (see: Table 4, Chapter 7: “Support services for sports and youth”).
EU Funds: - Erasmus+ - European Week of Sport (EWoS) - European School Sport Day (ESSD)	Decree-Law No. 137/2014, of September 12	Establishes the governance model for European structural and investment funds for the 2014–2020 period.
	Decree-Law No. 159/2014, of October 27	Establishes the general rules for operational and rural development programs financed by European Structural and Investment Funds. Period 2014–2020.
	Regulation (EU) 2021/817 of the European Parliament and of the Council of May 20, 2021	Establishes Erasmus+: The Union Program for Education, Training, Youth, and Sport.
	Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States 2020/C 419/01	Establishes a European Union Work Plan for Sport for the period from January 1, 2021, to June 30, 2024.
IPDJ’s Own Revenues, as described below:	Decree-Law No. 98/2011, of September 21, Article 17, paragraphs 2 through 5	Establishes the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth, I. P., and approves its organizational structure.
a) Social games b) Gaming tax	Decree-Law No. 56/2006, of March 15 (amended by Decree-Law No. 23/2018, of April 10)	Amends the method of distributing the net proceeds from social games operated by Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa.
	Decree-Law No. 67/2015, of April 29	Approves the legal framework for the operation and practice of sports betting at fixed odds on a territorial basis, among other matters.
	Decree-Law No. 98/2011, of September 21, Article 17, paragraph 2, item A	Establishes the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth, I. P., and approves its organizational structure.
	Ordinance No. 315/2015, of September 30	Establishes the conditions for allocating the amount corresponding to 3.5% of the revenue from sports betting to the territorial base tax.
c) Special Online Gaming Tax (IEJO)	Decree-Law No. 98/2011, of September 21, Article 17, paragraph 2, item B	Establishes the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth, I. P., and approves its organizational structure.
c) Special Online Gaming Tax (IEJO)	Decree-Law No. 68/2015, of April 29	Approves the legal frameworks for the operation and practice of territorial-based mutual horse racing betting and the allocation of racetrack operations, among other matters.
d) Sale of current goods and services	Decree-Law No. 98/2011, Article 17, paragraph 2, items C through J - idem	Establishes the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth, I. P., and approves its organizational structure.
e) Recoveries not deducted from payments
f) Fees, fines, and other penalties
g) Property income – interest
h) Capital transfer

Type	Budget (€)	PNDpT	Transfer to sports federations
Budget (€)		1,470,000	44,126,000
Current transfers from the IPDJ	58,825,044	2.5%	75%
Budget execution of IPDJ expenditures	86,024,726	1.71%	51%
"Sports, Recreation, Culture, and Religion" function of the General State Budget	2,247,000,000	0.065%	2.0%

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[1] Source: IPDJ website; Athayde; Figueiredo (2024); Carvalho, 2022. Prepared by the authors.

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The CDNJ and the DMD make some of their physical infrastructure and staff available to the general public, combining two sporting purposes in a single space.