Legislation
Brazil – Vote on sportsbetting delayed until next week
By James - 6 December 2023
Although it had been reported that the vote on the sports betting bill (PL 3626/23) had been scheduled for today it will now be postponed until next week. The president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco made the decision in response to requests from senators, who want to postpone discussion on the issue until December 12th.
The request was made by senators who stated that the low quorum prevented a wider discussion of the proposal. A number of senators are currently away as they are attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai. Even though remote voting is permitted the general consensus is that more senators have to be physically present due to the complex nature and wider implications of the bill.
One of the most vocal opponents of the project, Eduardo Girão said that he would try to restrict sports betting advertising during the plenary vote. Speaking today in the senate he said:
“The report approved by the CAE Economic Affairs Committee (CAE) also did not address the restriction of the participation of digital influences, athletes, artists, radio and television commentators, referees, football coaches in the advertisements that sell these betting houses, negatively influencing their followers, including children and teenagers. It’s practically pushing the person into the abyss they will become poorer they will get into debt they will get sick,” he said.
According to PL 3,626/2023, fixed odds betting is a betting system that includes virtual online gaming events and real sports-themed events. The text rules that foreign companies must have at least 20% of the capital in the hands of a Brazilian company, in addition to establishing an initial licence fee of R$30 million in order to operate legally. Licenses are valid for five years.
According to the Brazilian senate news agency the project was on the plenary agenda last week, but its vote was postponed after a debate among senators. At the time, critics of the project assessed that the text would pave the way to release “virtual casinos without supervision”. Parliamentarians in favour of the proposal, however, pointed out that the measure does not create new betting modalities, it only regulates Law 13,756 which guarantees the government revenue from games that are already in operation. The rapporteur, Senator Angelo Coronel is in favour of approving the project.
