Brazilian Senate sends sports betting bill back to Deputies
The Senate has approved the basic text of the bill.
Brazil.- After several delays, the Brazilian Senate has approved the basic text of Bill 3626/2023, which sets out the rules for the launch of sports betting at the national level. However, the Senate has sent the bill back to the Chamber of Deputies for another vote having made amendments.
The Senate upheld the appeal of Liberal senator Carlos Portinho to remove online casino from the bill. Former rapporteur Adolfo Viana of the PSDB had proposed the addition of igaming to the bill in September.
Meanwhile, the Senate also rejected an amendment that would have banned gambling advertising for sports teams and arenas. It also rejected a proposal from senator Tereza Cristina who sought to remove physical betting machines.
As for taxes, the Senate maintained the rates proposed by the Senate Economic Affairs Commission (CAE), which involve a 12 per cent tax rate on sports betting operators and a 15 per cent tax on player prizes. These rates are lower than the 18 per cent and 30 per cent rates put forward by the Ministry of Finance. The CAE deemed that the lower tax rates were necessary to attract consumers and businesses to the new regulated federal sports betting market.
The Deputies must now propose the inclusion of online casino or approve the text as is.
