Finally, the bill that authorizes the operation of gambling in Brazil, such as bingo, Jogo do Bicho and casinos, was voted on by the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) of the Senate.
There were 14 votes in favor and 12 votes against.
The proposal defines standards for the exploration and forms of inspection and control of gaming modalities. It also determines the taxation of betting houses and prizes, in addition to various player rights.
The text had been approved by the Chamber of Deputies at the beginning of 2022, but faced a series of barriers during processing in the Federal Senate.
This is because opposition from conservative parliamentarians and the evangelical bench resulted in several postponements of the debate on the proposal. In recent weeks, these groups have acted strongly to change parliamentarians’ votes.
With approval by the Constitution and Justice Committee, the casino and bingo bill advances to the Senate Plenary for consideration.
If approved as it is, it will be sent to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for sanction. Because there were no changes to the content of the text by the senators.
Rules for casinos in Brazil
According to the proposal, the installation of casinos in tourist centers or integrated leisure complexes will be authorized. That is, high-end hotels with at least 100 rooms, as well as restaurants, bars and places for meetings and cultural events.
There will be a limit of one casino in each state and the Federal District, with the exception of São Paulo, which may have up to three casinos, and Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Amazonas and Pará, which may have up to two each, due to the size of the population or territory.
Casinos may also be installed on maritime vessels (with a limit of ten, throughout the country) and on river ships with at least 50 rooms, within the following limits: one casino on each river with a length between 1,500 and 2,500 kilometers; two in each river with a length between 2,500 and 3,500 kilometers and three in each river with a length above 3,500 kilometers.
While river vessels with casinos cannot be anchored in the same location for more than 30 days in a row.
To operate, each casino will need to prove a minimum paid-up share capital of at least one hundred million reais. Thus, accreditation will be valid for 30 years, renewable for the same period.
Last week, Senator Irajá said that the text aims to promote tourism, boost the economy and guarantee security and transparency in gaming activities.
He stated that the proposal has the potential to generate R$44 billion in investments and create 700,000 direct jobs, in addition to doubling the number of foreign tourists in the country.
