The Senate Constitution and Justice Committee may vote on Wednesday (20th), in a meeting scheduled for 10 a.m., on the Chamber of Deputies' project that authorizes the operation of casinos and bingos, legalizes the "jogo do bicho" (animal game), and allows betting on horse races. The PL 2.234/2022 has a favorable vote from Senator Irajá (PSD-TO) in his report.
The text authorizes the installation of casinos in tourist hubs or integrated leisure complexes, with a limit of one casino per state and in the Federal District, except for São Paulo, which may 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 will also be allowed, which will follow specific rules. The casino must prove a minimum integrated social capital of at least R$ 100 million and can be accredited for 30 years.
The proposition also establishes rules for bingo games 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 the same period.
Horse racing may be exploited by turf entities accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture, which may also be accredited to operate, at the same time, bingo and video bingo games.
According to the proposal, two new taxes will be created and must be paid by the licensed gaming and betting operating entities: the Gaming and Betting Supervision Fee (Tafija) and the Economic Domain Intervention Contribution on the commercialization of games and bets (Cide-Games).
The forecast is that the Cide-Games will have a rate of up to 17% on the gross revenue of betting companies. The project also determines the implementation of a register of people who will be prevented from betting and entering gaming houses; creates the National Policy for the Protection of Players and Bettors; and provides guidelines for the prevention and combat of money laundering.
In his report, Irajá dismissed as a “legally indeterminate concept” that of offense to morals and good customs, used as an argument against gambling, and emphasized 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 bets, 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” by “Ministry of Finance”.
After the analysis by the CCJ, the project proceeds to a plenary vote.
Source: Senate Agency
