Senate Sports Committee votes on betting regulations this Tuesday

After postponement, the Sports Commission (CEsp) resumes this Tuesday, 7th, in a meeting scheduled for 2 pm, voting on the bill that provides for the regulation of bets, also known as fixed-odd sports betting.

In addition to taxing betting applications, the text (PL 3,626/2023) provides mechanisms to inhibit the match-fixing and establishes rules for advertising these games, among other measures.

On the 18th, the vote was postponed after a request for a collective review. Senator Romário (PL-RJ), president of the commission, even read his opinion in favor of the proposition.

However, during the discussion of the matter, several members of the panel warned of insufficient time to examine the document. More than 100 amendments were presented to the project.

According to Agência Senado, the rapporteur must give his opinion on around 20 amendments presented since the last discussion.

The project, from the Executive Branch, has already been approved by the Chamber of Deputies and is being processed simultaneously by the Economic Affairs Committee (CAE). After passing through the two committees, the text will go to the Senate Plenary.

Betting regulation project

The article deals with rules on authorization to operate this type of bet and defines the fixed-odd betting lottery as a system that includes virtual online gaming events and real sports-themed events.

It also stipulates the percentage of federal revenue from betting taxation that will be allocated to various areas, such as social security, sport and tourism.

Currently, this topic has sparked debate among parliamentarians who point to the social risks of gambling and the use of the activity for money laundering. However, fixed odds betting has been legal since 2018.

Furthermore, the Federal Government expects this bill to be voted on in the Senate this November. If senators promote changes to the text approved in the Chamber, the proposal will need to return to deputies.