Part 1: Setting the scene
Gaming bills in Brazil
• L
aw 13756/2018
offers fixed-odds
betting as a lottery
product, granting
powers for the
Ministry of Finance
to regulate it and
issue licences
over two years,
renewable for the
same term, from
the publication
of the law.
• The instant
lottery (Lotex)
privatisation tender
Finance minister Paulo Guedes
will be a pivotal figure in
convincing President Bolsonaro
to green light legislation
8
was scheduled
to be held on
April 26, with the
winner to have a
monopoly for 15
years to operate the
instant lottery both
online and offline.
However, shortly
before the auction
it was announced
that the date was
to be postponed,
for a fifth time,
until May 9.
• Online casino is
government take a ‘year zero’
approach to all previous government
legislation, then sports betting could
be in trouble.
However, current finance minister
Paulo Guedes is the key person in
this matter, given his free market
views, says De Muro. “He could
be the person that can convince
Bolsonaro to give [the] green light
on the legislation,” he adds.
Even more positively, there
are hopes that a successful
implementation on the sports
betting front might encourage the
executive branch and the legislature
to look at passing the other pieces
of gaming legislation currently
before them.
“Sports betting regulation is
completely independent from the
potential liberalisation of other
gambling modalities,” Maia points
out. “Nevertheless, it is a clear signal
that our Congressmen are keen to
discuss gambling and [the] opening
[of] the Brazilian market, once the
government is in favour.”
He notes, also, that sport betting
legalisation was supported by
the Ministry of Finance last year,
BRAZIL The regulated opportunity in Latam’s largest market
under discussion
in two different
bills: PLS 186/2014,
in the Senate,
and PL 442/1991,
in the Chamber
of Deputies.
• In February the
integrated casino
bill PL 530/2019
was introduced
to Congress to
authorise 32 casinos
within integrated
resorts across
the country.
something that should further its
chances of success.
“It is still early to have a clear
view on how Bolsonaro’s election
will affect gambling regulation,”
he adds. “As a matter of fact,
the changes in the Chamber of
Deputies and in the Senate, as well
as the new Minister of Economics,
will probably have a much larger
impact on the potential legislation
than the President himself. So far
we can only hope that the economic
liberal position overcomes the
moral conservatism.”
Gelfi from Suaposta points
out that gaming “has never been
a priority” for Bolsonaro. “The
political agenda is fully focused
on the social security reform.
Once that is concluded, there will
be an opportunity for competing
discussions on the gaming project to
gain traction and be included in the
legislative agenda.”
Also optimistic over future
prospects is Alessandro Valente
from Super Afiliados, who suggests
that Bolsonaro has already shown
that his main priority will be to take
a “liberal democratic approach”.