The text authorizes the installation of casinos in tourist centers or integrated leisure complexes, under the limit of one casino in each state and the Federal District, with the exception of São Paulo, which may have up to three casinos, and Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Amazonas and Pará, in which the limit for each state is two casinos.
According to the proposal, gaming houses will also be able to operate on sea and river vessels, which will follow specific rules. The casino must demonstrate a minimum paid-up share capital of at least R$100 million (US$ 20.5m) and may be accredited for 30 years.
The proposal also establishes rules for the game of bingo in card and electronic formats, and allows in each state the accreditation of one legal entity for every 700 thousand inhabitants to operate the game. In this case, the authorizations will be valid for 25 years, renewable for the same period.
Horse racing may be operated by tourism 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 licensed gaming and betting operators: the Gaming and Betting Inspection Fee (Tafija) and the Economic Intervention Contribution levied on the commercialization of games and bets (Cide-Games).
The forecast is that Cide-Jogos will have a tax rate of up to 17% on the gross revenue of betting companies. The project also determines the implementation of a registry of people who will be prevented from placing bets and entering gaming houses; creates the National Policy for the Protection of Players and Bettors; and provides guidelines for preventing and combating money laundering.
In his report, Irajá dismissed as an “indeterminate legal concept” the offense against morals and good customs, used as an argument against gambling, and highlighted that the project seeks to transfer to State control a practice that today constitutes a misdemeanor.
Citing statistics on the legal or illegal betting market, Irajá concludes that “gambling already constitutes a relevant economic activity.” The rapporteur rejected the amendments offered by the senators and offered a wording amendment replacing the mentions of “Ministry of Economy” with “Ministry of Finance”.
With the end of the legislative work, the discussion of the matter in the Senate's Constitution and Justice Committee will be left until parliamentarians return in February, when, after being voted on in the CCJ, it will have to go to the Plenary.
Source: Agência Senado
