The Senate's Constitution and Justice Committee postponed the vote on Bill 2.234/2022, which legalizes casinos, bingos, and the "jogo do bicho" in Brazil. Pressured by committee members not to discuss the matter, the CCJ president, Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP), requested the postponement from the rapporteur, Senator Irajá (PSD-TO). Although in favor of the project, he complied and sent a letter requesting the removal from the agenda.
The Senate remains at the mercy of opponents of legal gambling in Brazil and once again postponed the vote on Bill 2.234/2022, which legalizes casinos, bingos, and the "jogo do bicho". The Constitution and Justice Committee had scheduled the vote on the project at this Wednesday's meeting, but it ended up being removed from the agenda.
The president of the CCJ, Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP) reported that he received requests from several senators not to vote on the matter. Subsequently, he communicated this to the rapporteur of the matter, Irajá (PSD-TO).
Favorable to the project and with a report approving the text that came from the Chamber of Deputies (Bill 442/1991), Irajá ended up having to bow to peers opposed to legal gambling in Brazil.
Irajá maintained in full the Bill 442/1991, which in the Senate, became number 2.234, only changing the designation from the Ministry of Economy to the Ministry of Finance, following the change in the name of the Ministry with the beginning of President Lula's term.
The text authorizes the installation of casinos in tourist hubs or integrated leisure complexes, under the limit of one casino per state and in the Federal District, with the exception of São Paulo, which could have up to three casinos, and Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Amazonas, and Pará, where the limit for each state is two casinos.
According to the proposal, gaming houses on maritime and river vessels, which will follow specific rules, can also operate. The casino must prove a minimum fully paid-up share capital of at least R$ 100 million and can be accredited for 30 years.
The proposition also establishes rules for the game of bingo in both card and electronic modalities, and allows in each state the accreditation of a legal entity for every 700,000 inhabitants for the exploitation of the "jogo do bicho".
In this case, the authorizations will be valid for 25 years, renewable for an equal period. Horse racing can be exploited by turf entities (linked to turf) accredited in the Ministry of Agriculture, which can also explore, at the same time, games of bingo and video bingo.
In his report, Irajá dismissed as a “legally indeterminate concept” the offense to morals and good customs, used as an argument against gambling, and highlighted that the project deals with bringing under state control a practice that today constitutes a misdemeanor.
Citing statistics on the market for legal or illegal betting, Irajá concludes that “gambling already constitutes a significant economic activity”. The rapporteur rejected the amendments offered by the senators and offered a drafting amendment replacing the mentions of “Ministry of Economy” with “Ministry of Finance”.
The matter had already been scheduled for the end of December 2023 and was not brought to vote due to the cancellation of the meeting due to the tight schedule in the Senate with the arrival of the parliamentary recess and other relevant items to be discussed in Parliament.
Now, under pressure and with the postponement, a new date will be set for the resumption of the project in the Constitution and Justice Committee.
Source: GMB
