Brazilian Senate Nears Approval of Land-Based Gambling
The Brazilian Senate is potentially weeks away from approving land-based gambling as a bill proposing its legalization is being treated as urgent.
According to local news reports, the bill to legalize gambling in Brazil could be voted on before the Senate’s July recess.
The Brazilian newspaper Metrópoles reported that Senate President Davi Alcolumbre told leaders he would prioritize the vote on land-based gambling.
The bill, PL 2,234/2022, was approved by the Citizenship and Justice Committee in June 2024. However, subsequent voting in the Senate has been postponed on several occasions.
While the exact timing of the vote remained unclear, Tourism Minister Celso Sabino previously expressed belief that it would occur in the first half of the year. The appointment of Davi Alcolumbre, a proponent of gambling, as Senate President in February suggested the issue could be expedited.
President Lula is not expected to oppose the bill and is likely to sign it into law if approved by the Senate.
Study Shows Support for Casinos in Brazil
The launch of Brazil’s online gambling market on January 1st has faced criticism from the betting industry. Licensed digital operators are currently grappling with higher taxes and new restrictions on gambling advertising as the government seeks to address concerns about gambling-related harm and offset budget deficits elsewhere.
However, public demand for casinos and retail sports betting is evident, as indicated by a DataSenado survey published in April, which revealed significant support for legalization.
DataSenado, a research institute linked to the Federal Senate’s Transparency Secretariat, found that 60% of the adult population in Brazil supports the legalization of casinos. Only 34% expressed outright opposition to the proposal.
Among those surveyed, 58% agreed that legalizing casinos would increase tax revenue in Brazil. Furthermore, 44% stated that it would create more jobs.
Evangelical Opposition Remains
Despite this public support, strong opposition persists from the evangelical sector in Brazil.
The president of the Evangelical Parliamentary Front, Gilberto Nascimento, told Poder360 that his party would not support the legalization of casinos.
“I will ask everyone to be against it,” Gilberto said on April 13th. “We are going to mobilize.
Everyone is addicted to gambling, just look at what is happening with (online) betting. Casinos and physical games tend to make it worse. Brazil is not a country with a vocation for gambling.”
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