Casino bill gathers momentum in Brazil
Brazilian media outlet Globo has reported that the President of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre, is working to build an agreement to bring a bill legalizing land-based gambling—including bingos, casinos, and the “jogo do bicho,” a popular illegal lottery game in Brazil—to a vote in the Plenary. In discussions with his interlocutors, Alcolumbre expressed his goal of having the topic examined this semester and is attempting to persuade party leaders to reach a consensus. However, resistance from the opposition remains a significant hurdle.
However, according to Alcolumbre’s allies, while he is eager to advance the project, no agreement has yet been reached with the parties. The initiative faces opposition from some parties, including the Liberal Party (PL), as well as from the evangelical caucus in Congress, which is mobilizing against its approval.
The bill has the endorsement of Centrão a loose coalition of centrist and centre-right political parties in Brazil. Additionally, there is support from parts of the government, such as the Ministry of Tourism. If approved by the Senate without changes to the text that came from the Chamber of Deputies, the project will go for sanction or veto by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
When it comes to casinos according to the text, casinos may be installed in resorts as part of an integrated leisure complex that must contain at least 100 high-end hotel rooms, meeting and event venues, restaurants, bars and shopping centres. The physical space of the casino must be, at most, equal to 20 per cent of the complex’s built-up area, and electronic and roulette, card games and other authorized modalities will be permitted. In order to determine where casinos can be opened, the Executive Branch must consider the existence of the tourism industry and the economic and social potential of the region.
The text authorizes the installation of casinos in tourist centres or integrated leisure complexes, under the limit of one casino in each state and the Federal District, with the exception of São Paulo, which may have up to three casinos, and Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Amazonas and Pará, in which the limit for each state is two casinos.
According to the proposal, gaming houses will also be able to operate on sea and river vessels. There can be for up to ten establishments of this type.
Each economic group may hold only one licence per state, and licensing will be carried via a public bidding process which be decided on the technical and financial bids put forward by potential operators. The casino must demonstrate a minimum paid- in share capital of R$100 million and may be allowed to operate for 30 years.
