The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) expressed strong concern about the approval of the Anti-Faction Bill (PL 5.582/2025) by the plenary of the Federal Senate. The text creates a Contribution for Intervention in the Economic Domain (CIDE) of 15% levied on deposits made by bettors.
The organization stated that the measure significantly alters the sector’s taxation and introduces a contradiction in the fight against crime. The increased tax burden on legally registered companies tends to benefit illegal organizations and encourage users to migrate to unsupervised environments.
Impacts of taxation on the regulated sector
The president of ANJL, Plínio Lemos Jorge, emphasizes that the discussion about the tax impact is based on inaccurate information. In this context, he clarifies the fiscal reality of companies.
Plínio Lemos Jorge explains: “There is a mistaken belief that the total tax burden would only be 12%. In practice, this 12% represents an additional component to all the taxes already paid by any company in Brazil.”
Furthermore, the executive states that the project’s calculation basis ignores the real dynamics of the industry. Plínio Lemos Jorge says: “Our concern is that the proponents of the measure lack clarity about its impacts and the serious economic consequences it will bring to the sustainability of the regulated market.”
The creation of a new tax increases legal uncertainty and could jeopardize investments at a time when the sector is consolidating.
Consequently, companies that responded to the government’s call for formalization now face a scenario of uncertainty. The association is appealing to the Chamber of Deputies to reassess the measure in the next phase of analysis.
Return of the bill to the Chamber of Representatives
The bill returns to the Chamber of Deputies with the changes approved in the Senate and requires in-depth technical debate. Therefore, ANJL emphasizes that the text is part of the Legal Framework for Combating Organized Crime and affects essential parameters of the regulation. The measures directly influence the economic viability of operations and the protection of consumers.
The organization also points out that taxing deposits lacks international support. Above all, the association’s president emphasizes the ineffectiveness of this model in other countries. Plínio Lemos Jorge states: “No country in the world has been successful in taxing gamblers’ deposits.”
Immediately, users tend to seek alternatives outside the legal system upon noticing the charge. Plínio Lemos Jorge observes: “Upon noticing taxation on the deposited amount, the user automatically migrates to clandestine operators, frustrating the central objective of regulation, which is to bring the market into legality.”
Nature of the deposited funds
The betting operator acts solely as a custodian of the client’s funds and does not own the assets. Similarly, the head of the organization compares the measure to fees on regular banking transactions.
Plínio Lemos Jorge warns: “Taxing this step would be equivalent to charging a tax for someone to deposit money into a bank account or load a prepaid card — a dangerous precedent without parallel in the Brazilian tax system.”
The association argues that there are more efficient alternatives for financing public safety without harming the regulated market. Finally, the organization suggests using Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) to strengthen the fight against organized crime and preserve the regulatory environment.
