The bill that aims to legalize land-based casinos and bingo halls is still being analyzed by the National Congress. According to Regis Dudena, Secretary of Prizes and Bets at the Ministry of Treasury, if Congress approves the measure, it will be necessary to establish strict and complete rules before the start of activities in the sector.
Regis Dudena said: “For us, the most important thing is to ensure that any new market, such as casinos, is rigorously regulated before it starts operating.”
According to him, the government uses as a reference the experience gained with the regulation of online betting in the country. The government authorized online betting in 2018, but only implemented clear rules and tax collection four years later.
This period without regulation, according to the secretary, showed the importance of a prepared, unhurried process, in order to ensure security and adequate structure for the market.
Clear rules for casino regulation in Brazil
Dudena highlighted: “The experience from 2019 to 2022 has taught us that we cannot rush the process. We need time to create clear and detailed rules to ensure a safe and well-structured market.”
He reinforced that the Ministry of Treasury respects the progress of Congress, but is ready to structure the regulation of the sector, as provided for in the text of the law currently being processed.
The legalization proposal (PL 442/91) has already received approval from the Chamber of Deputies in 2022. It is currently awaiting consideration in the Senate, under the report of Senator Irajá (PSD-TO).
Resistance from conservatives and support from other parliamentarians
The project, which has been in progress for 33 years, faces resistance from conservative sectors, but receives support from parliamentarians who point to job creation and increased revenue as benefits.
Irajá previously stated, in an interview, that the approval would represent “a beacon for the country’s tourism, with the potential to generate more than R$100 billion in new business”.
In the fight against illegal gambling, Brazil maintains active oversight and promotes regular monitoring cycles. According to Dudena, only bets authorized by the Ministry of Treasury, which use the “.bet.br” domain, can operate since January. Currently, there are 73 authorized companies and 162 regularized websites, in addition to eight companies acting under court orders, linked to 18 brands.
The fight against illegality takes place through some strategies:
- Removal of illegal domains
- Advertising restriction
- Social media performance
- Blocking of financial operations of irregular websites.
The secretary emphasized: “Our regulations are well-made and require companies to comply with the rules, with active supervision. We are carrying out supervision and monitoring cycles, as in the case of entry bonuses, and monitoring the behavior of influencers.”