A drive-by shooting outside Vilamoura Casino at 7.35am on Monday morning left nine people in need of hospital treatment.

A police source said that four of the wounded were hit by shotgun pellets while the other five got injured in the panic that broke out following the shooting, with no serious injuries reported.

The motive for the incident is believed to stem from an argument amongst those inside the casino’s Black Jack disco.

The police are currently investigating the incident.