During the breakfast to launch the Brazilian Investment Guide, Celso Sabino spoke exclusively to M&E about the possible legalization of gambling and casinos.
When asked whether the new guide and this more favorable environment for foreign investment will increase the pressure to legalize the Gambling and Casinos Bill, Sabino revealed that the bill should be sanctioned by President Lula in the first half of this year.
Sabino highlighted the potential of this activity to boost tourism and attract large investments. “The bill regulating casinos has already been approved in the Chamber of Deputies and is in the Senate. We expect it to be approved and sanctioned by the president in the first half of 2025,” he said.
The minister emphasized that, if regulated responsibly and sustainably, this activity can generate jobs, revenue and economic development in Brazil, in line with practices adopted in other countries around the world.
Brazil launched its regulated online gambling market on January 1, 2025, although a bill to legalize land-based casinos has been delayed several times in 2024, raising questions about whether in-person gambling would also be regulated. Bill 2,234/2022, which aims to legalize casinos, bingo, jogo do bicho and horse racing betting, was approved by the Justice and Citizenship Commission in June, with a narrow margin of 14 votes to 12.
However, the bill has yet to be voted on by the Senate. The last postponement occurred on December 4, when Senator Irajá Silvestre withdrew the proposal after a debate on the text. Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco stated at the time that the bill would be voted on in 2025, and Tourism Minister Celso Sabino is confident that this will happen in the coming months.
Considering the large size and potential of the market, it seems that the Brazilian government will benefit greatly from an economic perspective. Brazil is already a target for international investment in the online sector, with giants such as Bet365 and BetMGM entering the market this year. With the possible legalization of physical casinos, the country could also attract the interest of companies such as Hard Rock International.
The legalization of physical casinos, however, faces opposition. In December, Senator Eduardo Girão highlighted: “We received a signal from the betting companies, which we approved exactly one year ago here, and we made a mistake, and the mistake is there: lives destroyed. We cannot take another step and make another mistake, which could cause more problems than solutions.”
Despite this, stakeholders such as Silvestre and Sabino remain confident that the bill will pass, arguing that legalisation will instead create a safer environment for gamblers, eliminating the illegal market.
Source: GMB
