Brazil Senate Slows Down the Progress of the Sports Betting Bill
In a fresh twist to the ongoing tale of sports betting legalization in Brazil, the Senate has postponed discussions on the issue. This leaves the future of the proposed legislation in limbo.
Initially planned for Tuesday, the Senate Sports Commission abruptly scrapped a gathering to discuss the legalization and control of sports betting. The assembly has yet to provide any reason for the sudden U-turn or an estimated date for the rescheduling of the talks.
Despite this, the timeline remains pressing, as the Senate's website shows a pending deadline of November 11 set for voting on the bill. That's two weeks after its initial schedule.
Elusive Regulated Sports Betting
The draft proposal suggests a standard 18% taxation rate for sports betting companies and online casinos. Currently, the legalization of online gaming is not being considered.
Behind closed doors, lawmakers are engaged in debates on tax rates, with efforts afoot to introduce flexibility into the system. Advocates argue for reducing the tax rate for sports betting from 18% to 12%, while keeping the higher rate of 18% for online gambling. Interestingly, some senators suggest excluding iGaming discussions from the bill altogether.
The voyage towards legalizing gambling activities in Brazil started with a Provisional Measure published in July of this year. This marked the end of five long years of heated discussions. On October 18, the Senate opted to postpone its vote in response to a request for thorough analysis.
Gaining the support of the Chamber of Deputies, the bill is currently undergoing simultaneous consideration by the Economic Affairs Commission (CAE). Once both committees give their approval, the legislation will proceed to the Senate Plenary for a definitive decision.
The entire sports betting sector in Brazil, as well as interested stakeholders, await the outcome of this dragged-out legislative process.
Diverse Reactions
Senator Rómário de Souza Faria, an ex-soccer player and the President of the Senate's Sports Commission, had been consistently backing the legislation. However, soldiers from both camps battled during the legislative debates over the insufficient time for thorough examination.
The challenges heightened due to the submission of more than 100 proposed amendments to the bill. At the final reading, Fariavetoed several amendments, narrowing the pool to just 20 for his committee to consider.
The friction within the Senate has intensified since before the 2022 election, where then-President Jair Bolsonaro lost. Bolsonaro was firmly against the measure and had people in the Senate willing to stand by him.
The balance has persisted, and some politicians may be relying on a poll as the foundation for their opposition. A poll on the Senate's website allows Brazilians to express their views on the bill. Currently, 1,305 are against it, and only 19 are for it.
This is far from a comprehensive research effort, and it doesn't align with the results seen in other studies. In May of this year, a separate study conducted by Aposta Legal Brasil and OpinionBox revealed that 64% of respondents were prepared to embrace legalized sports betting.
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Source: www.casino.org
