Gaming regulation in Brazil faces opposition

The new legislation tripped up after the opposition managed to gather enough signatures to prevent the bill to continue its way towards the Chamber of Deputies.

Brazil.- The bill to regulate and legalise gaming in Brazil passed a Senate’s Committee and was expected to be discussed in the Chamber of Deputies soon, but the opposition stepped firmly, stopped the bill’s way into the Chamber and sent it back to the Senate.

After showing a steady progress, gaming legislation in Brazil faces stronger opposition. Randolfe Rodrigues, an opponent of the proposed bill, gathered enough signatures to prevent the bill to go directly into the Chamber of Deputies.

Since the bill was approved not by the Senate as a whole, but by a Special Committee on Development, now that Rodrigues appealed the decision, every senator must vote on the matter. This could be a blessing in disguise, since such important legislation would gain credibility if approved by the Senate. This is the opinion of Senator Blairo Maggi, a sponsor of the new legislation who is counting with full Senate approval on the bill.

The proposal includes legalising land-based and online gaming market, allowing the construction of 35 casinos in the South American country and legalising the popular Jogo do Bicho. The legalisation of gambling activities would result in up to BR$ 15 billion (US$ 4bn) in tax revenue annually.