Legislation
Wider gambling bill to be debated in Brazil in May
By James - 29 April 2024
The Justice and Citizenship Commission (CCJ) will hold a public hearing on bill PL 2,234/2022, which authorizes the operation of casinos and bingo halls, legalizes the Jogo do Bicho, and allows betting on horse races. Although the bill was scheduled for discussion last Wednesday (24) the vote on its approval is likely to happen only after the public hearing and further debate on the matter.
According to the Senate news agency the rapporteur of the proposal is Senator Irajá who read the favourable vote last week. The president of the CCJ, Senator Davi Alcolumbre , authorized the start of the discussion of the project but announced an agreement to postpone the deliberation.
Under the agreement, signed by Senators Carlos Viana and Eduardo Girão, the CCJ will hold a public hearing on PL 2,234/2022 on May 7, at 10 a.m. On the 15th, the commission will resume the discussion of the text. However the vote on the matter is still not scheduled.
Senator Irajá presented only an amendment regarding the wording of the original text approved by the Chamber of Deputies. The rapporteur rejected four amendments presented to the CCJ. One of them, from Senator Carlos Viana, aimed to exclude casinos and the Jogo do Bicho from regulation.
The bill authorizes the installation of casinos in tourist areas or integrated leisure complexes, such as high-standard hotels with at least 100 rooms, restaurants, bars, and spaces for meetings and cultural events. The text provides for the installation of one casino in each state and the Federal District. Exceptions are only for the states of São Paulo (three casinos), Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Amazonas, and Pará (up to two each).
Debate over the law has been delayed several times. President of the Senate Rodrigo Pacheco sent Bill PL 2234/2022 to the CCJ for discussion back in May 2023. It was then scheduled for debate in December and again this month. The text replaces as many as 20 other gambling related projects all of which have been discussed over many years.
