The Maringá City Council began evaluating this week a bill from the municipal executive branch aimed at establishing taxation on video lottery terminals and recreational equipment, such as claw machines for grabbing teddy bears. The document was presented by council members during a meeting of the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ).
Filed on October 23, the bill establishes rules for “municipal taxation on activities related to fun, entertainment, and leisure, carried out using equipment and machines, whether digital or not, electronic or not, in person or remotely, directly or indirectly.”
Despite the favorable opinion issued by the legal department, parliamentarians requested a review to extend the deadline for analyzing the proposal.
What equipment will the new legislation tax besides video lottery machines?
The text presented by the Executive branch does not specifically detail the equipment subject to the new taxation. In response to a question from the Maringá Post news outlet, the Municipal Administration cited as examples “teddy bear vending machines, which are available in various locations throughout the city” and also “gambling establishments that offer electronic games, such as video lottery.”
As the Executive branch clarified, the municipality already applies a fee to these activities. Therefore, the new legislation serves a regulatory purpose. The Municipal Administration emphasized that the creation of this specific regulation aims to “regulate the calibration procedures for these machines, to prevent manipulation.”
Annual fee per device
According to the proposed plan, each machine or piece of equipment in this category will have to pay an annual fee of R$ 120 to obtain an operating permit. The fee will be charged per unit operating in the municipality.
Furthermore, the Executive Branch sent a note to Maringá Post clarifying additional objectives: “The proposal aims to regulate the licensing of these activities, adapting them to new types of entertainment services, especially those related to electronic betting platforms operating in the municipality.”
The proposal does not yet have a set date for submission to a vote in the City Council plenary session. Therefore, the council members will have more time to examine the details of the project before making a final decision on its approval.
