Boost for Land-Based Gambling in Brazil as Key Advocate Re-Elected

Brazil’s prospects for legalizing land-based gambling have significantly improved following the re-election of Davi Alcolumbre as the senate’s president. Alcolumbre, who previously held the position from 2019 to 2021, is a well-known supporter of gambling legalization in the country.

Alcolumbre secured a landslide victory, winning 73 out of 81 votes as the senate commenced its 2025 legislative session. During his tenure as president of the justice and citizenship committee (CCJ), he played a crucial role in advancing PL 2,234/2022, a bill aimed at legalizing casinos, bingo, jogo de bicho, and horse racing betting. The bill was approved by the CCJ in June 2024 with a 14-12 vote, but its full approval by the senate has been delayed.

With Alcolumbre back in office, the legalization of land-based gambling could become a higher priority for the senate.

Reports indicate that Alcolumbre has openly expressed his desire to legalize land-based gambling. This aligns with the sentiment shared by Brazil’s tourism minister, Celso Sabino, who believes the senate will approve land-based casinos in the first half of 2025.

Furthermore, Hugo Motta was appointed as the president of the chamber of deputies, endorsed by his predecessor, Arthur Lira, who is also a proponent of gambling.

Defeat for Gambling Opponent

Adding to the positive developments for the gambling industry, Alcolumbre’s victory came against Senator Eduardo Girão, a long-standing opponent of gambling in Brazil.

Girão received only four votes, including his own. In a speech before the vote, Girão criticized Alcolumbre, referring to him as the “candidate of continuity” due to his pro-gambling stance.

Girão argued:

“The candidate of continuity is in favor of casinos and bingo. Isn’t the gambling he supported enough, which I warned would be a humanitarian social tragedy? How can you keep your conscience and look your fellow countryman in the eye, amplifying this tragedy with casinos and bingo, which has already been shown to be a fallacy? This is also to benefit tycoons.”