Photo: Edilson Rodrigues/Agência Senado
Photo: Edilson Rodrigues/Agência Senado
The Senate will be able to vote on the bill that legalizes gambling in Brazil, including casinos, bingos, jogo do bicho and sports betting (Bill 442/91). The suggestion came from party leaders who met with the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, in search of solutions that could make it possible to pay the national nursing floor.
Authored by Renato Vianna, a former deputy for Santa Catarina, the project was sent to the Senate after the Chamber concluded the vote on the matter, in February 2022, with the rejection of seven highlights that would change the text of the proposal. The deputies maintained the opinion of deputy Felipe Carreras (PSB-PE), who grants permanent or temporary licenses to explore the activity. Each state may have one casino, with the exception of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, which may have two, and São Paulo, three.
The taxation of the sector was among the most controversial points of the vote. One of the highlights of the PT, rejected by the deputies, wanted to increase the Cide rate from up to 17% to 30%, with the incidence on gross revenue instead of profit.
At the time, Felipe Carreras pondered that the tax model should allow the attraction of investments. According to the rapporteur, the rate will still be lower than that of the entertainment sector, with an incidence of 16.33%. Opposition deputies also complained about a provision that exempts the exploitation of gambling and betting from any other contributions or taxes.
Casinos
According to the text, the casinos may be installed in resorts as part of an integrated leisure complex that must contain at least 100 high-end hotel rooms, meeting and event venues, restaurants, bars and shopping centers. The physical space of the casino must be, at most, equal to 20% of the built-up area of the complex, and electronic and roulette games, cards and other authorized modalities can be explored.
In order to determine the places where casinos can be opened, the Executive Power must consider the existence of tourist heritage and the economic and social potential of the region.
Each economic group may hold only one concession per state, and accreditation will be carried out by public auction in the technical and price modality. Additionally, the Executive Branch may grant the operation of casinos in leisure complexes to up to two establishments in states with a dimension greater than 1 million square kilometers (Amazonas and Pará).
Touristic cities
In locations classified as tourist centers or destinations, the installation of a casino will be allowed, regardless of the population density of the state in which they are located.
The text defines these places as those that have a regional identity, adequate infrastructure and offer of tourist services, high density of tourists and title of natural heritage of humanity, in addition to having tourism as an important economic activity.
A tourist casino cannot be located less than 100 kilometers away from any casino integrated into a leisure complex.
River vessels
New in relation to previous versions of the text is the operation of casinos on river vessels, one for each river with 1,500 km to 2,500 km in length; two for each river with a length between 2,500 km and 3,500 km; and three per river with a length greater than 3,500 km.
These vessels cannot be anchored in the same location for more than 30 consecutive days, and the concession can be for up to ten establishments. These ships must have a minimum of 50 high-end rooms, restaurants and bars and shopping centers, as well as venues for events and meetings.
Bingo
In the case of bingo, the text allows its exploitation on a permanent basis only in bingo houses, allowing municipalities and the Federal District to explore these games in stadiums with a capacity of over 15,000 fans.
Bingo houses must have a minimum capital of R$ 10 million. The minimum area is 1,500 square meters, where up to 400 video bingo machines can be located. Slot machines will be prohibited.
According to the text, at most, one bingo house will be accredited for every 150,000 inhabitants. Licensed places will have a 25-year authorization, renewable for an equal period.
Jogo do bicho
For the legalization of the jogo do bicho, the text requires that all the licensee's records, whether of betting or extraction, be computerized and with the possibility of access in real time (online) by the Union, through the Audit System and Control (SAC).
Interested parties must present a minimum share capital of R$ 10 million and reserve resources in guarantee for the payment of obligations and duties stipulated in the project, except for the award, which may be in the form of a cash guarantee, insurance guarantee or bank guarantee.
Accreditation will be for a period of 25 years, renewable for an equal period if the requirements are met. There may be, at most, one operator for every 700 thousand inhabitants of the state or the Federal District (DF). In those with less than 700 thousand inhabitants, there should only be one accredited to operate the modality.
Redemption of prizes up to the Income Tax exemption limit will not require identification of the player.
Temporary operation
The text also provides that, if after 12 months of validity of the future law there is no regulation, the provisional operation of video bingo, bingo and jogo do bicho will be authorized throughout the national territory until the regulation is released.
Source: Senate Agency
