The Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Committee (CCJ) of the Federal Senate approved Senator Irajá Silvestre's report on PL 2234/22. The proposal now goes to the plenary, and its vote depends on being scheduled by the President of the Federal Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco. Meanwhile, the Bill may receive amendments aiming to change the text.

If the proposal is approved without changes in the plenary, the Bill will depend on the President's sanction. If the text is altered, the Bill will return to the Chamber of Deputies. After the deputies' vote, agreeing or not with the changes, PL 2234/22 will go for presidential sanction.

After the presidential sanction, the text will be converted into law, finally creating the Regulatory Framework for Gambling in Brazil. For the actual operation, the publication of regulations will be necessary within a period of up to 12 months.

What does PL 2234/22 say

The Bill provides for the installation of casinos in tourist hubs or integrated leisure complexes, such as luxury hotels with at least 100 rooms, as well as restaurants, bars, and spaces for meetings and cultural events. There will be a limit of one casino per state and in the Federal District, except for São Paulo, which may have up to three casinos, and Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Amazonas, and Pará, up to two casinos each, depending on the size of the population or territory.

The operation of bingo will be limited to one bingo hall for every 150,000 inhabitants in each municipality and allows for drawings in stadiums with a capacity of over 15,000 people. As for the game of 'animal game' (jogo do bicho), one operation will be allowed for every 700,000 inhabitants in each state or Federal District.

Rules and Supervision

The proposal also sets out guidelines for the exploration of gambling, including the taxation of betting houses and prizes. The operation of these games must follow strict criteria, such as the requirement of a minimum capital and the proof of the lawful origin of the resources. Only companies headquartered in Brazil will be able to operate these activities, and only in duly authorized locations.

Check out the video of the deliberative meeting of the Constitution and Justice Committee. On the agenda, the bill 2,234/2022, which authorizes the operation of casinos and bingo, legalizes the jogo do bicho, and allows bets on horse races.

Text: Dr. Rafael Biasi
Source: Senate TV