Brazil: Senate Sports Commission sets date for public hearing to review Bill 3.626/23

After the debate held on Wednesday, October 18, the Sports Commission of the Brazilian Senate (CEsp) approved the request for a public hearing to be held next Monday, October 23, at 10 o'clock (local time).

The report was presented by the rapporteur of Bill 3.626/23 in the CEsp, Senator Romário (PL-RJ), in which he accepted amendments 14-U, 48-U, and 61 and rejected the other proposals presented by the parliamentarians.

"The approval of the bill has great potential to increase tax collection, organize the fixed-odds betting market, enable supervision, actions to curb the manipulation of results, guarantee the rights of consumers, and regulate the dissemination of advertising and propaganda," expressed Senator Romário.

Amendments 14-U and 48-U, presented respectively by Senator Soraya Thronicke and Senator Nelsinho Trad, deal with the duration and term of fixed concessions. The same will continue to be limited to a maximum of BRL 30 million (USD 5,942,700) but will allow the legal entity to exploit up to two trademarks in its electronic channels by an act of authorization and for five years.

Senator Jorge Kajuru

Amendment 61, presented by Senator Jorge Kajuru, refers to the communication, advertising, and marketing of betting agencies. These will be adjusted to the regulations of the Ministry of Finance and will seek to encourage self-regulation, as well as to ensure that they are aimed at the adult public and avoid contact with children and adolescents.

Romário himself presented his amendments, one of them to redistribute the allocation of funds from sports betting. The rapporteur increased the amount from 6.63% of the bill approved by the House to 6.68% for the sports area.

The former footballer also presented a proposal to prevent and curb match-fixing in soccer by banning bets on isolated events in the game, such as corner kicks, throw-ins, and red and yellow cards.

"To curb the manipulation of results, betting on isolated events occurring during the sporting event is prohibited in soccer. In soccer, corner kicks, throw-ins, red cards, and yellow cards are considered isolated events," Romário argued.