Brazil Senate delays vote on casino legalization bill to 2025

The Brazilian Senate has postponed a vote on a bill to legalize land-based casinos, bingo halls, and horse race betting until 2025, citing unresolved concerns and strong opposition.  

Bill 2,234/2022, which also seeks to legalize the traditional lottery game "jogo do bicho," was approved by the Chamber of Deputies’ Constitution and Justice and Citizenship Commission (CCJC) in June by a narrow 14-12 vote. However, its progress has been fraught with delays, with previous votes scheduled for August and October also falling through.  

Senator Irajá Silvestre, the bill’s sponsor, withdrew the proposal from a scheduled Senate debate this week amid protests from demonstrators outside the chamber. Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco announced the vote would now take place next year.  

The bill has drawn sharp criticism from opponents, who cite concerns about gambling addiction and its societal impact. Senator Eduardo Girão criticized the earlier legalization of online gambling, set to take effect in January 2025, stating it has already caused harm. "We made a mistake and the mistake is there: lives destroyed,” Girão said. “And we cannot take another step, make another mistake, which could cause more problems than solutions.”

Opposition groups, including political entities and trade unions, have challenged the legality of Brazil’s regulated betting sector in the Supreme Court, with a ruling expected early next year.  

Some senators called for the bill’s outright abandonment. Senator Eliziane Gama urged for permanent shelving, while Senator Esperidião Amin referred to the legislation as being in "purgatory." “It (the bill) was not resurrected, it never died: it was in purgatory, it was in limbo, waiting for an opportunity,” Amin said. “Six feet is not enough. It has to disappear.”

Despite the pushback, Senator Irajá defended the bill, arguing it would address the problem of illegal gambling in Brazil. “There are those who defend the maintenance of gambling controlled and dominated by organized crime in the country. And others like me who defend responsible gaming in the country,” he said, adding that a legal framework would allow government oversight, tax collection, and the prosecution of illegal operators.  

Pacheco outlined the Senate’s plans to conduct further reviews of the proposal. Responses to concerns about gambling addiction’s impact on public health and social welfare are expected from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance within 30 days.  

Brazil’s regulated online betting market is set to launch on January 1, 2025, intensifying discussions on the need for broader gambling regulation.