Brazil’s gambling bill progresses

Brazil could finally have legal online and retail gambling after the Chamber of Deputies approved the country’s gambling bill.

The bill would legalise casinos, igaming, horse racing, slots and bingo but excludes sports betting, which is being regulated separately.

Casinos can be established in each of Brazil’s 26 states, with the state of Sao Paulo being allowed up to three casinos and Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Bahia being allowed up to two each.

Casino licences would be available through a tender in which the highest bid would win the licence. No operator would receive two licences in the same state, or five in total.

Casino and igaming licences would cost $120,000 per licensed casino or online domain and bingo operators must pay $4,000 per bingo hall. The bill also creates a gambling supervisory authority, SINAJ, and a service to identify and block problem gamblers.

The Senate is now voting on the bill and, if approved, it would still need to be signed by President Jair Bolsonaro. Gambling has been illegal in Brazil since 1946.

Source: Fantini’s Gaming Report