Brazil’s land-based gambling bill on track for this year says bill’s rapporteur
Senator Irajá the rapporteur of Brazil’s land-based gambling bill PL 2,234/2022 has told press that he expects that the bill will be voted on in the Senate by June. Talking to Brazilian magazine Exame the senator declared, “Our intention is to vote on this matter still in this semester, before the recess. The President of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre, has been discussing with party leaders the best time to schedule the project.”
In November the Senate postponed the vote on the bill that authorizes the operation of casinos and bingos in Brazil, and legalizes the jogo do bicho (an illegal lottery), among other forms of gambling. The proposal was withdrawn at the request of Senator Irajá following extensive debate among senators regarding the progress of the bill.
Despite opposition the lawmaker said that he remained optimistic: “I am very confident that we will manage to approve this great project, perhaps the most important one after the tax reform.”
The rapporteur also said he was open to making changes to the text. “I am committed to making it work and not attached to the original text,” he said.
Irajá further noted that there is clear backing in the technical documentation from the Ministries of Finance, Tourism, Social Development, and Labour.
“The President of the Republic himself has publicly expressed his support for the sanction if the project is approved by Congress. The Vice President, Geraldo Alckmin, has also formalized support,” he said.
Regarding the functioning of the regulated sector, Irajá clarified: “To operate in this new market, companies must go through a rigorous filter, proving their integrity, seriousness, and legality . . . Brazil receives about 6 million tourists per year, while Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay receive more. Responsible gaming boosts tourism, as demonstrated in several countries, doubling the flow of tourists in five years,” he said.
Irajá stated that the immediate establishment of casinos won’t be feasible, expecting the process of regulation, bidding, and construction to take up to three years.
