After months of dominating the gambling media headlines, it seems that Brazil’s much-touted embrace of legalising betting across all platforms is losing grip.
The South American giant formally legalised sports betting with much fanfare at the start of the year, and it looked as if real-world casino gambling was set to follow.
But this week plans to progress Bill 2,234/2022–which aims to overhaul the nation’s retail gambling framework–were abandoned amid crushing indifference by Brazil’s senatorial lawmakers.
The proposal was withdrawn from the Senate’s agenda, albeit temporarily, because, quite simply, not enough legislators could be “arsed” to turn up to debate it.
There were not enough senators present to make up a legal quorum.
“We have eight or nine senators who are outside Brazil on special mandates, and I spoke with all of them,” explained Senate President Davi Alcolumbre.
“We have senators abroad, who have clearly stated they support this bill, and we also have senators abroad who are against it,” Alcolumbre told Brazilian media.
Antiquated
The bill proposes a complete overhaul of Brazil’s antiquated, or non-existent, gambling laws in relation to retail casinos, horse racing, gaming and bingo halls and the “jogo do bicho” scratch games.
It introduces the possibility of integrated casino-resorts in favourite tourist destinations, municipal bingo halls, and accredited instant-win sellers for every 700,000 residents in this nation of 212 million people.
Operating licences would cost a minimum of Brazilian Reais BRL$10 million (£1.33m/US$1.8m), depending on the size of the venture, and be valid for 25-years.
With legislation for legalising land-based casinos first mooted in the mid-1990s, it has taken the Brazilian state some 30-years to reach this latest impasse.
Bill 2,234/2022 proposes a tax of 20 percent on all winning above BRL$10,000 (£1,334/US$1,800).
Boosters say the new casino bill–featuring tough anti-money laundering and social protection measures–could generate some BRL$100 billion (£13.33bn/US$18.06bn) and create around 1.5 million jobs.
But it also faces fierce opposition from religious conservatives and political parties across the ideological spectrum.
And for the moment, amid this uncertainty, the dream of 360 gambling in Brazil remains just a puff of so much hot air.
