The partners of the law firm Bichara e Motta, Thiago Peluso Rossi, Thiago Stüssi and Udo Seckelmann, were received at the City Hall of Rio de Janeiro by the Secretary of Economic Development, Chicão Bulhões, councilor Pedro Duarte and Alexandre Vermeulen (CEO of Invest.Rio) to discuss incentives for the betting sector, mainly the reduction of Tax on Services (ISS).
Invest.Rio, which also participated in the meeting, is the Rio de Janeiro City Hall's investment promotion and attraction agency. It connects companies, investors and initiatives to the economic ecosystem, improving the city's image.
Following the example of what has been happening in São Paulo, which approved the reduction of the ISS for the installation of sports betting companies in the city, Rio de Janeiro is following a similar path and the lawyers were at the Secretariat precisely to show the strength of the sector and reinforce that São Paulo has already taken the lead in trying to attract companies.
The meeting was promoted by councilor Pedro Duarte, who fights in the City Council for the reduction of the ISS of sports betting houses so that they can establish themselves in Rio de Janeiro as soon as the regulation of the sector requires a local presence.
The councilor forwarded official letter nº 201/2022, in December 2022, on the subject to the City Hall of Rio, arguing about the need for the municipality to adapt to market innovations in search of new investments, which promptly sent to the City Council a Project of Act in response to requests from the representative.
Duarte wants to reduce the ISS of companies that operate in the field of sports betting – an industry that has been growing strongly in Brazil and in the world in recent years. The proposal is inspired by an initiative recently approved in São Paulo, which reduced the ISS in this sector to 2%.
“One of the biggest tourist destinations in the world cannot continue losing jobs to other Brazilian capitals. Reducing the ISS for a sector that has been in growing demand in Brazil and the world, which works directly with technology, innovation and sports, is an important step for Rio de Janeiro to become competitive, attract new investments and, most importantly, generate new job opportunities,” said councilor Pedro Duarte.
The measure argues that, with the ISS reduction approved, Rio will become more attractive and competitive for the industry, generating new jobs and investments for the city. Otherwise, the Rio de Janeiro capital could see a huge flight of qualified professionals and large companies to the São Paulo capital.
The meeting also had contributions from some important players in the market, including Fellipe Fraga, business director of EstrelaBet, and representatives of operator 10Bet.
Fraga commented that he was at the meeting as a representative of the industry and not of the company he directs. For him, “the meeting was very productive. The City Hall of Rio de Janeiro is interested in better understanding our iGaming activity and bringing players closer to the city to settle down and also to hold industry events in the city.”
According to him, the approximation that took place is important, "bearing in mind that the support of municipal governments will be fundamental for the growth of the sector and, in return, we will offer more and better working conditions and economic development.
Udo Seckelmann commented that the meeting was not limited to talking about reducing taxation, but also the technical training of professionals in Rio de Janeiro, as well as promoting actions to attract national and international gambling and betting events to the city.
Source: GMB
