Brazil: Legalising gaming?

The Commission of the Brazilian Senate is still addressing the legalisation project

“Brazil Agenda” is the project put forward by the president of the Senate, Renan Calheiros, with the purpose of encouraging the reactivation of the economic growth in this country. The Special Committee on National Development will discuss in today’s meeting the proposal on gaming legislation.

Senator Ciro Nogueira was in charge of drafting the bill which proposes to legalise casinos, bingos, game rooms and the popular Jogo do Bicho. The text presents the definition of the games to be exploited, the criteria for their authorisation and the rules for prizes and tax collection. The initiative also states that a maximum of 10 bingo venues per municipality will be allowed and establishes that the casinos must be located in leisure complexes with hotels and restaurants built for this purpose.

In Ciro Nogueira’s words, “the role of the State must be limited to creating the regulation that will rule and supervise the operation of gaming in the country.” The Senator claimed it is not fair to have a special treatment for Jogo do Bicho and at the same time, allowing and regulating the existing federal lottery modalities. According to the Senator, illegal gambling handles almost US$ 5 million annually and Brazil is failing in collecting those taxes.