Senate President withdraws Brazil’s land based expansion bill from senate agenda
The President of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre, has removed from the voting agenda the bill that would authorize the operation of casinos and bingos in Brazil, legalize “jogo do bicho,” and regulate betting on horse races (PL 2234/2022).
Alcolumbre stated that he made this decision due to the low quorum in the Plenary, the division of opinions among senators, and requests for postponement made by party leaders.
“There is certainly a division in the Senate on this issue. Given the quorum of 56 senators, the significant divergence on this matter, and the requests from senators who would like to be present for the vote, this presidency will withdraw this item,” said the president of the House during the session’s opening.
As reported by the Brazilian Senate News Agency the bill aims to end a prohibition that has existed for nearly 80 years: a law from 1946 banned the operation of gambling throughout the country. The proposal also revokes parts of the Contraventions Penal Law, which establishes penalties for such practices.
Senator Eduardo Girão celebrated the withdrawal of the bill from the agenda and advocated for the proposal to be sent to three committees.
“I would like the project to be sent to three committees, and when it comes back to the Plenary, a nominal vote should be taken. The population is anxious,” he said.
The land-based bill has the support of the government, which sees this measure as a potential source of revenue. President Lula has stated that he will sanction the proposal if it is approved by Congress. According to the text of the bill, casinos in Brazil 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.
