The vote to legalise casinos, bingo, jogo de bicho and betting on horseracing in Brazil could be pushed back from August to October.
On 19 June the Justice and Citizenship Commission approved PL 2,234/2022 by 14 votes to 12 paving the way for Brazil casino regulation. It was then expected to be voted on by the senate plenary after its return from recess on 1 August.
However, reports from CNN indicate the senate president, Rodrigo Pacheco, places more importance on matters relating tax and state debt than he does the gambling bill.
Brazil casino may take place after municipal elections
As a result, the bill on gambling could now be pushed back until October. This would follow the first round of municipal elections, scheduled for 6 October.
PL 2,234/2022 is set to be discussed in the senate on Thursday (8 August) in a thematic debate. A decision will be made then on whether the vote is pushed back. If it is not delayed, it could be voted on next week. President Lula da Silva has already indicated that he will sign the bill if it passes the senate.
Thursday’s session, chaired by Senator Irajá Abreu, will consider the bill. It will look to iron out the remaining points of contention. These include the potential strengthening of measures to avoid interference from organised crime and prevent money laundering.
The decision to postpone the vote is also impacted by pressure from evangelicals within the senate, who fear the legalisation of gambling could lead to the rise of addiction levels in Brazil.
Final Brazil ordinances published
This potential setback comes as progress towards Brazil’s regulated sports betting and igaming market accelerates towards launch. The ministry of finance’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) published the final regulations. Brazil is expected to launch its legal betting market on 1 January 2025.
Among the final regulations to be published in the Official Gazette of the Union was Normative Ordinance No 1,207, which clarified which online games will be allowed.
The four-phase regulation rollout outlined in April was completed by ordinances on monitoring and inspection, state allocations, responsible gambling and sanctions.
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