The year 1946 was remarkable for the country’s gambling history. That same day, on April 30 of that year, General Eurico Gaspar Dutra decreed the end of casinos in Brazil.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Brazil experienced the golden age of casinos, with more than 70 betting shops operating across the country.
According to Agência Senado, casinos were not limited to gambling. They were large entertainment complexes. Punters could dine in the restaurant, dance to the sounds of the orchestra in the ballroom and watch shows in the theater.
Today, exactly 80 years later, the scenario is very different than a decade ago, when, despite attempts, a resumption of this type of game was still very unlikely in Brazilian territory.
What were the consequences of the ban on casinos in Brazil
At that time, Brazil had around 41 million inhabitants. According to historical data, the ban left more than 55 thousand people unemployed across the country.
The Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT), of 1943, established that, whenever a government measure extinguished some activity, the government would have to compensate the workers.
However, a week after the ban, on May 11, 1946, the government issued a new decree-law, establishing that the CLT did not apply to the particular case of casinos.
The unions went to court demanding compensation from the government for those laid off between April 30 and May 11.
However, the Federal Supreme Court (STF) ruled that labor debts were not the responsibility of the public authorities, but rather of the business owners, who ended up going bankrupt and were unable to pay their former employees.
The attempt to recover in 2016
According to Agência Senado, ten years ago, parliamentarians tried to reopen casinos and rely on taxes on games.
At the time, PLS 186/2014, by senator Ciro Nogueira, which provided for the resumption of gaming throughout the national territory, was taken to the Plenary and then to the Chamber.
However, in 2023, after going through freezes, the bill was officially shelved.
The days of prohibition may be numbered
Now, after eight decades of the ban carried out by Dutra, who argued that Brazilians’ “moral, legal and religious tradition” was incompatible with gaming, casinos can return to the country’s scene.
Senator Irajá Silvestre Filho (PSD-DF) is the author of PL 2234/2022, which aims to legalize bingos and physical casinos in Brazil.
According to the senator, there is enough time to analyze the project in the first half of 2026.
He described the project as an important measure for the country as it promotes “a social and economic agenda, in addition to representing a major advance for Brazilian tourism”.
The senator also reinforced that the release of physical casinos is a great opportunity to boost tourism, generate millions of jobs and raise taxes.
In the end, more than remembering the 80 years of prohibition, April 30th also represents a milestone of resumption: after decades of “taboo”, the subject has returned to the surface and may, finally, once again be present in Brazilian territory.
