Brazil Expected to Legalize Land-Based Casinos in 2025
The vote to legalize land-based casinos in Brazil is expected in the first half of 2025, according to the country’s Minister of Tourism, Celso Sabino.
Brazil launched its regulated online betting market on January 1st. However, the bill to legalize physical casinos was delayed several times in 2024, raising questions about whether in-person gambling would also become regulated.
PL 2.234/2022, which aims to legalize casinos, bingo halls, the jogo do bicho (a traditional numbers game), and horse race betting, was approved by the Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Committee in June, passing narrowly with a vote of 14 to 12.
However, it has not yet been voted on by the Senate, and its most recent postponement was on December 4th, when Senator Irajá Silvestre withdrew the bill after a debate on the proposal.
Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco said at the time that the bill would be voted on in 2025, and Sabino expects this to happen in the coming months.
“The bill regulating casinos has already been approved in the Chamber of Deputies and is in the Senate,” Sabino said. “We hope it will be approved and sanctioned by the president in the first half of 2025.”
Economic Benefits of Land-Based Casinos in Brazil
With a 12% tax rate on gross gaming revenue (GGR) for online betting, as well as a series of other contributions, Brazil is expected to have one of the highest gambling tax rates in the world.
Considering the enormous size and potential of the market, it appears the Brazilian government will benefit greatly from an economic standpoint.
Brazil is already the target of international investment for the online sector, with giants like Bet365 and BetMGM entering this year.
With the legalization of in-person businesses also seemingly on the horizon, Brazil may attract more international interest from companies like Hard Rock International.
“The company manages to create relationships with local entrepreneurs, whether they are builders, banks, or gaming brands,” explained a Hard Rock representative. “We love this partnership in destinations where we intend to implement our projects. I imagine the same would happen in Brazil. We are not going there to impose our will or anything like that. We are just going to assemble the perfect team that will ensure that we have a successful property that will serve the purpose that both the government and the company are looking for.”
Opposition to Land-Based Casinos
In the second half of 2024, online gambling faced enormous scrutiny in Brazil due to fears that it would have major economic and social impacts on the population.
The online sector has been criticized for its perceived effect on consumption habits, particularly among vulnerable groups, such as those in the Bolsa Família social assistance program.
The legalization of in-person businesses is also facing backlash, and Senator Eduardo Girão noted in December: “We had a sign from the betting companies, which we approved exactly a year ago here and made a mistake, which is there: lives destroyed. And we cannot take another step, make another mistake, which could cause more problems than solutions.”
However, key stakeholders, such as Silvestre and Sabino, remain confident that the bill will be approved, claiming that legalization will promote a safer environment for bettors by eliminating the underground market.
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